Connected
by 09sarahbean
Summary: Lucy Jones & her friends return for their third year of schooling at Hogwarts. A dangerous prisoner has escaped from Azkaban, & there is a new Defense Against the Dark Arts teacher who seems to know things about Lucy that even she doesn't know. Sequel to Shadow of the Day.
1. 1: A Prisoner Escapes

_**A/N: We have arrived at story number three in this series! If you haven't read the first two, you may want to do so before reading this one. The first story is called This is Home for anyone who wants to start at the beginning.**_

_**A very important update about this story: I will now be posting chapters on Monday, Wednesday, and Friday, as opposed to Monday and Thursday. As the stories get longer, I wanted to up the frequency of posting to get it completed a bit quicker. The Monday, Wednesday, Friday schedule will remain for the rest of the series.**_

_**Another thing to note: the rating of this story is T instead of K+ like the past two stories. This is mostly because of language that will start sprouting up from here on out.**_

_**There are 18 chapters in this story. I hope you're ready for the ride! Enjoy!**_

_**Disclaimer: Harry Potter is not mine.**_

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_**We are connected  
We'll never be alone  
We walk together  
Forever down that road**_

_**Connected by Hoobastank**_

**Chapter 1 – A Prisoner Escapes**

It had been a hot summer so far in Massachusetts. July was at an end, and Lucy Jones was beginning to get restless. She had finished her second year of witch schooling a few weeks earlier, but now that she'd been back home for a while, she was getting very bored of her summer vacation.

This was the first summer that Lucy felt _stuck_. She went to school at Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry, which was all the way across the ocean in Britain. All her friends lived over there. Lucy was the only person who attended Hogwarts who was from America, which was because she had been adopted from England by a couple who lived in the United States.

Twelve years previously, there had been a war going on in Britain. An evil wizard—whom Lucy and many others referred to only as You-Know-Who—had been attempting to take over. Lucy's birth parents had been part of the resistance against him, which meant that they had been targeted. To protect Lucy, they had sent her to the States. Unfortunately, her birth parents were killed a short while after Lucy had been sent away.

So, Lucy was adopted by the couple who had temporarily taken her in. Dan and Sue Jones were unable to have children of their own, so they had jumped at the chance to permanently adopted Lucy. They had told Lucy very early on that she was adopted, but they had never told her anything about her birth parents.

Then, two years ago, Lucy had gotten an invitation to attend Hogwarts, and Dan and Sue told Lucy everything that they knew about her birth parents. They didn't have a lot of information, however, since they were never told the names of Lucy's parents. To keep Lucy safe, it was better for everyone involved that her birth parents remained a secret.

During the last two summers, Lucy had been able to spend the month of August in England with her good friends, the Weasley family. The Weasleys had acted as Lucy's host family while she was in England, and she really felt as though they were part of her family now. However, no plans had been made so far for Lucy to go and stay with them before school started again.

**~LJ:C~**

The morning of Lucy's thirteenth birthday—July thirty-first—was bright and warm. Although she was excited that it was her birthday, she was also sad because she wasn't going to be able to see any of her friends.

When her black cat Evie realized that Lucy was awake, the cat crawled onto her chest and started begging for breakfast. So, Lucy got out of bed, changed out of her pajamas, and took Evie downstairs to feed her.

As Lucy entered the kitchen, she heard a soft hooting coming from the owl perch next to the window. The Joneses' family owl Thomas was standing there with the morning mail tied to his leg. There were quite a few letters and packages that morning.

"Good morning, Thomas," Lucy said, setting Evie onto the floor. "I'll be right there, buddy."

Thomas let out another hoot, and Lucy took that as the owl agreeing to wait. She turned back to where Evie's food bowl was and filled it for the cat. Evie greedily munched at her food, and Lucy smiled.

After refreshing Evie's water bowl, Lucy returned to Thomas and untied the stack of envelopes and parcels from his leg. Then she stroked his feathers for a moment before also filling his food bowl.

"Good morning, Lucy." Sue had entered the kitchen. "Have you been awake long?"

"No," Lucy answered. "Evie made me get up, because she was hungry."

Sue smiled at her daughter. "Well, happy birthday," she said. "Would you like some breakfast?"

"Yes, please," Lucy replied. She carried the mail over to the kitchen table and sat down while Sue moved over to the stove. Lucy began sorting through the mail, and she was excited to see that a lot of the letters and packages were addressed to her.

"What have you got there?" Sue asked, glancing over to see what Lucy was doing.

"I think they're birthday cards and presents," Lucy replied as she finished pulling out all her mail.

"Ah, of course," Sue said. "You can have your present from your father and me tonight, after he gets home from work. Your aunt sent you something, as well."

Lucy nodded, picking up the first letter. It was from her best friend, Hermione Granger.

_Dear Lucy,_

_Happy birthday!_

_I hope you are having a wonderful summer back with your parents. My parents and I are spending the next three weeks in France, which is sure to be very enjoyable, although not as much fun as I'm sure Ron is having—did you see in the _Daily Prophet_ that his family won a Galleon Draw? Their picture was in the papers and everything; I'm so jealous that he is visiting Egypt!_

_Anyway, I hope you like your present. I found it in a shop on our very first day on vacation, and I immediately thought of you! And if you don't like it, please disregard that last bit—ha!_

_Oh, Ron also mentioned that he and his family will be coming up to London during the last week of summer before school starts—will you be able to make it up to Diagon Alley then? I know it's a bit more difficult for you, what with being in America and all. Talk it over with your parents, and if you can make it, I'll see you then! Otherwise, I'll see you on the train!_

_Lots of love,_

_Hermione_

Lucy set aside the letter and picked up the small box that was from Hermione. She opened it and found a red and silver scarf. Embroidered on one end was a roaring lion. Lucy gleefully threw it over her shoulders and turned to Sue. "Look what Hermione got for me," she said, holding up the end so her mom could see the lion.

"That's beautiful," Sue commented.

"Also, she asked if it would be possible for me to meet them in London sometime during the last week of the summer," Lucy added.

Sue shrugged. "I'm sure we can work something out," she replied.

Lucy, grinning, turned to the next letter. It was from another one of her best friends, Harry Potter.

_Dear Lucy,_

_Happy birthday! I still think it's cool that we share the same birthday. It makes it really easy to remember!_

_Anyway, since I've been at the Dursleys, I've had little contact with the Wizarding world, so I couldn't get you a present for your birthday. So, on the Hogwarts Express, I will buy you whatever candy from the trolley that you want! I hope that makes up for not giving you a present now._

_I hope your summer has been more exciting than mine has. I'll see you on September first on the train!_

_Harry_

Lucy smiled at the letter, happy to hear from her friend. She didn't care that he hadn't gotten her a birthday present; she was just relieved to have heard from him at all, considering that she hadn't received a single letter from him the previous summer.

Next in her pile of mail was a thick envelope from the Weasleys. When she shook out the contents, she was surprised to find multiple pieces of parchment. The first thing to catch her eye was a newspaper clipping; she picked it up to see a photo of the whole family waving up at her from in front of a pyramid in Egypt. The caption on the photo explained how Mr. Weasley had won seven hundred galleons in a drawing, just as Hermione had said in her letter.

The next piece of parchment Lucy picked up was a letter from Ron, who was the same age as she was.

_Dear Lucy,_

_Happy birthday!_

_I sent along the clipping from the _Daily Prophet,_ because I wasn't sure if you got that in America. But can you believe it? 700 galleons! Mum and Dad have promised to buy me a new wand for next year with some of the gold, which will be nice. I've had to hide my current wand, because it wouldn't stop whistling._

_Egypt has been great so far. Bill has been showing us around all the old tombs. These Egyptian wizards must have been really paranoid, because some of the curses they put on their tombs are really extravagant! People sprouting extra heads, or their hands being relocated on their bodies—some of it is really creepy. (Don't let Fred or George know that I said that.)_

_We'll be getting back the week before school starts. We're going to try to meet up with everyone in London again! I've told Harry and Hermione about it, so try to talk your folks into letting you come, too!_

_Ginny and George both wrote you letters for your birthday, by the way. They've begged me to put them in with mine, so that's what the extra bits of parchment are._

_We'll keep in touch, and hopefully see you the week before school starts in London!_

_Ron_

_P.S. Percy's been made Head Boy. He hasn't been able to shut up about it since he got his letter a week ago._

Lucy picked up the other two pieces of parchment to see short birthday notes from Ginny—Ron's younger sister—and George—one of Ron's older brothers. Then she pulled the box towards her that was labeled from the Weasleys. She opened it up to find a note from Mrs. Weasley—Ron's mother—on top.

_Lucy,_

_This is a present from all of us to you. Have a wonderful birthday, and we hope to see you soon!_

_Love,_

_Molly_

Inside the box was a large, leather bound book. Lucy curiously opened it up and was immediately greeted with a photo of her with Ron, Hermione, and Harry that had been taken the year before. Lucy leafed through the first few pages of the book, smiling at the photographs from the past couple of years. The rest of the book was blank, obviously meant for Lucy to put her own pictures inside.

"What's that?" Sue asked, bringing Lucy a plate of French toast.

"The Weasleys got me a photo album for my birthday," Lucy replied. "Here." She slid the book over, so her mom could take a look, while Lucy took the plate from her.

"How thoughtful," Sue said. "That's very kind of them."

Lucy picked up the next letter, which was from Hagrid, the gamekeeper at Hogwarts. She smoothed it out on the table to read as she ate her breakfast.

_Lucy,_

_Happy birthday! Thought I'd send you a little something to make your day brighter._

_Exciting stuff is happening here. Won't say any more now, but you'll find out when you get back to school!_

_Hope your holidays have been good._

_Hagrid_

Lucy opened the package from Hagrid, smiling as soon as she knew what it was. "Hagrid sent fudge," she told Sue. "We'll have to make sure to soften this before anyone tries to eat it, otherwise they might break their teeth off."

Sue chuckled.

Lucy moved on to the next letter, and she was surprised to see that it was from Noelle Watson. Noelle was the daughter of some of Dan's and Sue's old school friends. She was from Michigan, and she went to Ilvermorny School of Witchcraft and Wizardry, which was the American school of magic. Lucy had never really considered any of Dan's and Sue's old school friends' children as her friends, but after spending a few days with Noelle the summer before, Lucy felt much closer to the other girl. They had exchanged a few letters over the past year, but Lucy hadn't thought that Noelle would remember her birthday.

_Dear Lucy,_

_Happy thirteenth birthday! I hope you're having a wonderful summer. It seems like it's been a long time since I last wrote to you._

_For the past few weeks, my family and I have been on vacation in Canada. It's been great to get away for a while, especially since my little brother starts at Ilvermorny this year and hasn't been able to stop talking about it._

_Anyway, I just wanted to wish you a happy birthday! Hopefully we'll be able to catch up in person sometime soon._

_Sincerely,_

_Noelle_

Lucy smiled before setting the letter aside. She moved on to the next one and saw that it was from her friend and fellow Gryffindor second-year Sally-Anne Perks.

_Hi Lucy,_

_Happy birthday! Just wanted to write you a quick note to let you know that I'm sending you all kinds of positive thoughts for your birthday. I hope you have a wonderful day, and I can't wait to see you in a few weeks when school starts again!_

_Sincerely,_

_Sally-Anne_

_P.S. I'm not sure if I ever mentioned it, but my mother has been in and out of St. Mungo's a lot since Easter. Things haven't been looking so great, so if you could send her some kind thoughts, I would really appreciate it._

Lucy frowned when she reached the end of Sally-Anne's note. She immediately hoped that Mrs. Perks would be all right.

There was one final letter that went with a small package. Lucy took one look at who it was from and practically tore it in half trying to open it.

_Dear Lucy,_

_Happy birthday. I hope this reaches you in time; my mother has been nagging me nonstop about how we're on vacation, so I should be spending time with my cousins._

_I'm in France with my mother's family again, just like last summer. It's been very boring here. I can't wait to get back to Hogwarts, so I can get away from my parents and see my friends._

_I found your present in a small Muggle shop here when I snuck away from my family for a bit. My father would be beside himself if he knew that I went to a Muggle shop, much less had some Muggle money to pay for things, but I figured that you were worth the risk. I hope you like it._

_My mother is yelling at me to go spend some time with my cousins, so I'll wrap this letter up. I hope your summer has been much better than mine has, and I'll see you on September first._

_Jeremy_

Jeremy Whitlock was Lucy's friend from school, who had been sorted into Slytherin house. Most people found their friendship to be very odd, because Lucy had been placed in Gryffindor. It was widely believed that Gryffindors and Slytherins didn't typically get along.

Lucy picked up the accompanying parcel sitting on the table and opened it up. Inside was a charm for her charm bracelet that Jeremy had given to her for Christmas. The new charm was a silver letter L, and Lucy was quick to fasten it to her bracelet.

"Looks like your Hogwarts letter arrived this morning, as well," Sue said, nodding to the final envelope on the table.

Lucy, noting that it was indeed from school, picked it up and slit open the top. Inside was the usual letter that stated when the beginning of term was, a list of books and other supplies she'd need for the following year, and her ticket for the Hogwarts Express. There was also an additional piece of paper in the envelope. Lucy quickly read the opening letter.

_Dear Miss Jones,_

_Please note that the new school year will begin on September the first. The Hogwarts Express will leave from King's Cross station, platform nine and three-quarters, at eleven o'clock._

_Third-years are permitted to visit the village of Hogsmeade on certain weekends. Please give the enclosed permission form to your parent or guardian to sign._

_A list of books for next year is enclosed._

_Yours sincerely,_

_Professor M. McGonagall_

_Deputy Headmistress_

"Mom," Lucy said immediately, turning to Sue. "The letter says that third-year students can start visiting Hogsmeade village on certain weekends, but I need you to sign the permission form." She handed Sue the form.

"All right, but I'll only sign it as long as you promise to stay out of trouble," Sue said in a light, teasing tone.

"Mom, when do I ever get in trouble?" Lucy shot back, grinning.

In her first two years of Hogwarts, Lucy and her friends had gotten into trouble a few times. To be fair, they had stopped You-Know-Who from stealing the Philosopher's Stone at the end of their first year, and in their second year, they had saved the entire school from the basilisk in the Chamber of Secrets. However, Lucy understood that—as her mother—Sue was always going to worry about her.

"Here you are," Sue said, handing the signed form to her daughter.

"Thank you," Lucy replied. "I'm going to take it right up to my trunk, so I don't forget it."

"Put your dishes away first, please!" Sue said, motioning to Lucy's dirty plate.

Lucy picked up her plate and brought it into the kitchen. Her parents cleaned all the dishes with magic, but it had always been a rule for her to at least bring her dirty dishes to the sink.

Once her dishes were cleaned up, Lucy scooped up her birthday presents and letters and took them up to her room to put them away.

**~LJ:C~**

Later that night, Dan came home from his job at the Magical Congress of the USA with a troubled look on his face. He had the newspaper in his hand. Both Lucy and Sue, who had been in the kitchen getting dinner ready, paused when he entered the room.

"What's wrong, dear?" Sue asked. "Has something happened?"

Dan held up the newspaper. "Sirius Black has escaped from Azkaban," he replied.

Sue let out a little gasp, but Lucy was confused. She had no idea who the person was, but the name Azkaban sounded familiar to her.

"Who is Sirius Black?" she asked. "What's Azkaban?"

Dan let out a heavy sigh before motioning for Lucy to sit down at the kitchen table. He sat next to her, setting the newspaper down. Lucy glanced at it and saw a large photo of the man in question.

"Azkaban is the wizarding prison for Great Britain," Dan explained. "It's guarded by dementors, creatures that you would never want to meet. Nobody has ever escaped from that prison before."

"Dementors?" Lucy repeated, frowning.

"They suck all the happiness from around them," Dan continued, shuddering. "Any bit of happiness that you have, they take it away."

"So, nobody's escaped before this Sirius Black guy?" Lucy said.

"Yes," Dan answered. "Nobody has ever been able to break out of that prison. Sirius Black was—well, it's said that he was a supporter of You-Know-Who. He murdered a wizard he was supposed to be friends with, along with a bunch of No-Majs, the night the Potters were killed and You-Know-Who disappeared."

"What does this _mean,_ Dan?" Sue cut in, looking very worried.

"All the magical governing bodies have been notified," Dan replied. "Some of the No-Maj leaders have been warned, as well. As far as I know, they won't be closing Hogwarts."

"Why would they need to close Hogwarts?" Lucy asked anxiously.

"Well, as I said, Azkaban is the prison for Great Britain," Dan answered carefully. "It's really not that far from Hogwarts. Until they recapture Black, there's nothing stopping him from trying to break into the school—"

"Why would he want to get into a school for?" Lucy interrupted, her voice getting high.

"Lucy, honey, it's okay," Sue said, hurrying to put a comforting hand on her daughter's shoulder. "Your father said that they weren't closing the school."

"I'm sure they'll add some extra protection, just to be safe," Dan added. "We're just worried about you going to school so far away."

"But Dumbledore will be there," Lucy reasoned. "Even You-Know-Who was scared of Dumbledore!"

There was a long pause.

"I can still go to Hogwarts, though, right?" Lucy finally asked.

"Of course you can," Dan replied. "You've already been going there for two years. Plus, if anything should happen to the school, the Weasleys will be there to look after you."

Lucy nodded.

"Well, then," Sue piped up; Lucy thought she looked slightly disappointed by her husband's answer. "Let's all try to forget about this, so we can have a nice birthday dinner for Lucy."

Dan stood up to help Sue get dinner on the table as Lucy sat, thinking hard. _A prison escapee wouldn't want to break into Hogwarts… would he?_

**~LJ:C~**

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_**A/N: **__**Originally (way back when I first started writing this story), Dan and Sue knew who Lucy's parents were. They were sworn to secrecy from Dumbledore to not tell Lucy the truth. They also fought in the first war against Voldemort; they were part of the Order's international forces (which I imagined there was such a thing, since Dumbledore wants Charlie Weasley to help recruit international wizards during the second war). That's how Dan and Sue initially knew about Sirius Black.**_

_**But as the story grew and changed, I knew that I didn't want Dan and Sue to know who Lucy's parents were - I wanted them to be clueless about where she came from (other than she had been born in Britain, and her birth parents wanted her out of the country for her safety). So instead, I feel like Dan and Sue know who Sirius Black is because Voldemort's downfall and then Sirius's arrest the following day was such big international news that Dan and Sue would have heard about it. They were all fed the same story that Sirius was super dangerous and that he was the reason that Voldemort had tracked down the Potters.**_

_**The very quick, almost throw-away line of "Lucy thought she looked slightly disappointed by her husband's answer" is actually kind of important to Sue's character, but you'll have to stick around until story 6 to find out why. Seems mean, I guess, but there's a very important moment there between Lucy and her parents.**_

_**Sorry about the length of this A/N. lol**_


	2. 2: Change of Plans

_**A/N: The first Wednesday upload on the new schedule! This is something that'll take a little time to get used to.**_

_**Disclaimer: Harry Potter is not mine.**_

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**Chapter 2 – Change of Plans**

The summer continued to drag on for Lucy. Thankfully, her parents had talked it over and decided that Sue would take Lucy to London two days before the end of the holidays. They were going to stay at the Leaky Cauldron for a couple of nights and meet up with the Weasleys on the last day of their holidays. Then Lucy would be on the train back to Hogwarts the day after.

"You know, your mother and I were thinking about something," Dan said after they'd gone over the details with Lucy. "We were wondering if you wanted to stay with the Weasleys for the entire summer next year."

"Really?" Lucy asked, looking between her parents.

"We've been talking to Arthur and Molly, and you know that they love you like another daughter," Dan went on. "It's just such a hassle to get you over to England that it might be easier on everyone if you stayed with the Weasleys."

Lucy frowned.

"We're not trying to get rid of you," Sue added hurriedly. "We're just trying to make it easy for you—for all of us, really. Besides, you love it at the Burrow."

"That's true…" Lucy said.

"Well, you have plenty of time to think about it," Sue said. "Don't worry about making that decision just yet."

**~LJ:C~**

Everything had been set up, and Lucy was very excited to get back to England and see the Weasleys. Unfortunately, Lucy's plans changed when she received a letter about a week before she was meant to go back to England.

She was having breakfast with Dan and Sue, as usual, and Thomas swooped into the kitchen with the morning mail. Dan took the few things that Thomas was carrying and began leafing through them.

"Lucy, there's a letter here for you," Dan reported, holding an envelope out to his daughter.

Lucy took it from him and glanced at the front of it. It was from Sally-Anne, and Lucy was puzzled as to why the girl was writing to her. She opened the envelope and pulled the parchment from it, noting immediately that there were spots on the page from where it seemed like tears had fallen.

_Lucy,_

_Mum passed away a few nights ago. I thought I was going to be okay, but I can't do this alone. Her funeral is going to be here at home in a couple of days (Tuesday). It starts at noon. I feel so helpless. I had to tell someone._

_Sally-Anne_

Lucy gasped and put a hand to her mouth.

"Lucy?" Sue asked immediately, putting a comforting hand on Lucy's wrist. "What's the matter? What's happened?"

Lucy swallowed before attempting to speak. "My friend Sally-Anne's mom passed away a few days ago," she replied. She handed the note over to her mother.

"Oh, no," Sue said after quickly reading the letter. "How awful."

"I have to go to the funeral," Lucy said adamantly. "I know it's tomorrow and such short notice, but I have to go and be there for her."

Sue and Dan exchanged a look. "It's not that simple to just go over to England, sweetie," Sue said gently. "It takes at least a few days to get all the paperwork in to use the International Floo Network."

"Well, there are other ways to get there, right?" Lucy asked impatiently. "We could just make our own Portkey, couldn't we?"

"I don't know," Sue said, looking anxious. "Besides, I need to see if I can get my shifts covered for work—"

"I can just go by myself," Lucy insisted. "I can stay at the Leaky Cauldron; everything I'd need would be there in Diagon Alley."

"I'm sorry, sweetheart, but you're only thirteen," Dan stepped in. "We can't let you stay somewhere all by yourself just yet, especially with Sirius Black on the loose."

Lucy sighed. "Fine," she grumbled, "but I really want to go. I don't want Sally-Anne to feel alone."

"We'll look into it," Dan said. "We won't know anything until your mother and I get back from work this evening."

**~LJ:C~**

So, Lucy waited very impatiently throughout the day until her parents returned from work.

"Well, we have some good and bad news," Dan said when Lucy immediately confronted them.

"The good news is that I was able to get all of my shifts covered," Sue reported, giving Lucy a small smile.

"What's the bad news, then?" Lucy asked.

"I wasn't able to get the paperwork through to use the International Floo Network by tomorrow," Dan replied. "Also, neither your mother nor I feel confident enough to make a Portkey on our own."

"So, you mean we can't go?" Lucy questioned, feeling disappointed.

"Well…" Sue began slowly, "the only way I could think of would be Apparition."

"Except I can't Apparate," Lucy said flatly.

"That's true," Sue said evenly. "However, _I_ can Apparate, and I could take you using Side-Along Apparition."

"I suppose that could work," Dan agreed. "I'd never even thought about that."

"If it means that we can get to England tomorrow, I'd be okay with it," Lucy said eagerly.

"I guess we have a plan," Sue said. "I suppose you'd better get packing. There's no point in us coming back here before you have to leave for school."

Lucy ran up the stairs to her bedroom. Once there, she flung her trunk open and started to throw in the things that she would need. As she packed, she decided to make sure that she had everything she wanted in case she ended up staying with the Weasleys the following summer. Evie sat on the bed and watched with what Lucy assumed was an interested expression.

Lucy spent the rest of the evening packing her things into her trunk. She was very tired when she went to bed that night, but she was determined to get to London so that she could see Sally-Anne.

**~LJ:C~**

The next morning arrived early. Because of the time change, Lucy and Sue were planning on leaving right after breakfast.

Lucy was just finishing up some last-minute packing when there was a knock on her bedroom door. Opening it, she found her mom holding onto Evie.

"Good morning," Sue said, handing the cat over. "I found her sulking under the sink. Come on downstairs for some breakfast."

Lucy let Evie crawl up onto her shoulders and followed her mom down the stairs and into the kitchen.

"Good morning, pumpkin," Dan said, smiling as his daughter sat down at the table.

"Morning, Dad," Lucy replied. "I'm sorry the plans have changed and that we're leaving earlier than we were going to."

"That's perfectly all right," Dan commented. "You want to be there for your friend. I completely understand."

They ate their breakfast in silence. Once the food was gone, Sue and Dan cleaned up the kitchen while Lucy went back upstairs to make sure that her bedroom was clean and tidy.

**~LJ:C~**

Soon, the three Joneses were gathered in the living room. Sue had her suitcase by her side, and Lucy's trunk was sitting on the floor, with Evie in her carrier on top of it.

"Be a good girl, okay?" Dan said, hugging his daughter. "Do what your mother says and have a wonderful school year."

"I will, Dad," Lucy replied. "Love you. I'll see you later."

"I'll see you next week," Sue added, pecking her husband on the mouth.

Then she and Lucy left the house and went out into the backyard.

"Nobody will see us, will they?" Lucy asked.

Sue pulled out her wand and waved it over her suitcase, which disappeared. Then she did the same to Lucy's trunk. "Are you holding onto Evie?" Sue questioned.

"Yes," Lucy replied.

"Okay," Sue said. She took a breath and then said, "Take my hand." Lucy did as she asked, and Sue continued, "Hold on tight. This might feel… a little weird."

Then Sue turned on her toes, and suddenly Lucy was squeezed into darkness. She felt as though she was in a box that was closing in on her. She couldn't see or breathe, and she could feel herself start to panic.

Finally, Lucy found herself in what seemed to be an alleyway. She took a huge gulp of air. Her stomach turned, and she bent over, still gasping for breath.

"Oh, I'm so sorry, sweetie," Sue said, putting her hand on Lucy's back.

Lucy's breathing started to even out, and she stood up straight. "Where are we?" she coughed.

"We're in Diagon Alley," Sue replied. "Take your time. Apparating is very jarring the first few times."

Lucy took another few deep breaths. "I'm all right," she said after a moment.

"That's good," Sue said with a nod. "We'd better go and get a room at the Leaky Cauldron, so we can drop off our things and get to your friend's house."

Lucy was only mildly surprised to see her trunk and Sue's suitcase waiting for them a few feet away. After gathering their luggage, Lucy and Sue walked down the main road that was Diagon Alley. Lucy glanced around, feeling excited that she was back in England, even though the reason she was there was not a happy one.

At the end of the alley was a brick wall. Sue pulled out her wand and tapped a specific brick. The bricks wiggled and moved away to form an arch. Lucy and Sue walked through the arch and into the backdoor of the pub known as the Leaky Cauldron.

Sue went up to the bar, where Tom the barman was standing. They talked for a few minutes before Tom handed over a key to one of the rooms upstairs.

Sue turned back to her daughter. "We're in room fourteen," she reported.

Lucy nodded her understanding, and Sue took her wand out and levitated Lucy's trunk ahead of them. They went up the stairs and onto the upper floor, which was lined with rooms. They walked down the corridor, reading off the numbers on the doors until they finally reached number fourteen.

"Home sweet home," Sue said as she unlocked the door. "Well, at least for the next week or so."

The room looked much bigger on the inside than the outside made it seem. There were two beds next to each other with a wardrobe in between them.

Sue levitated Lucy's trunk to the end of the far bed, and then she dropped her suitcase onto the other one. Lucy put Evie's carrier down and let the cat out. Evie immediately took to sniffing around the room.

"I suppose we'd better change into something nicer," Sue commented, unzipping her suitcase. "We can't go to a funeral dressed like this."

"Right," Lucy agreed, opening her trunk. She rummaged around for a while before producing a plain black dress and shoes that matched.

**~LJ:C~**

When they were ready to leave, Sue turned to her daughter with a slightly anxious expression. "The easiest way to get there will be Apparating, I'm afraid," she explained.

"That's all right," Lucy said. "Maybe it won't be as bad this time around."

"I wish I could agree with you, but I think it takes a bit longer to get used to," Sue replied. She held her arm out, and Lucy took a hold of it. "Make sure you're holding on tightly," Sue added. "Ready?"

"I'm ready," Lucy answered, reminding herself that she was doing this for Sally-Anne.

Then Sue turned on her toes, and Lucy was plunged once again into darkness. Although the feeling was still horrible, she was at least prepared for what was happening.

When they reappeared, Lucy and Sue were standing in the middle of a wooded area.

Lucy took a few breaths, and her stomach did another few nauseating turns. After she got her breath back, she said, "That is just _awful_."

"You get used to it after a while," Sue assured her. "Anyway, we'd better get to your friend's house. The funeral started over an hour ago."

Lucy and Sue began the short walk out of the woods and into the town where Sally-Anne lived. When they reached the street that Sally-Anne lived on, they saw that there were a lot of cars parked near the house.

They went up the front walk, and Lucy knocked on the door.

"Lucy!" Sally-Anne exclaimed after she'd opened the door. "I can't believe you made it! I wasn't sure if my letter had gotten to you in time."

"I got it yesterday," Lucy replied, stepping forward and hugging Sally-Anne tightly. "I'm so sorry about your mom."

Sally-Anne hugged her back. "Well, come on in," she said after pulling away. "Oh, this must be your mum. I don't think we've ever met before. I'm Sally-Anne Perks." She held her hand out, and Sue shook it.

"Sue Jones," she introduced herself. "Feel free to call me Sue—and I'm sorry for your loss."

"Thanks," Sally-Anne said with a sad smile. "Come in, come in."

Lucy and Sue obeyed, entering the house. Sally-Anne shut the door behind them and then led them into the sitting room.

"Who was at the door, Sally-Anne?" a girl asked, walking over.

"This is Lucy," Sally-Anne replied. "She's in my year at school. Lucy, have you ever met my sister? This is Becky."

"Oh, yeah," Lucy said. "Hi, Becky."

"Hi, Lucy," Becky said. "Thanks for coming." Then she turned and went back to a group of her friends; Lucy recognized some of them from Hogwarts.

Lucy and Sally-Anne sat down in the corner of the room. Lucy noticed that Sally-Anne looked tired; there were dark circles under her eyes. "So, how are you?" Lucy asked. "And I mean, how are you _really_?"

"I've been better," Sally-Anne replied with a smirk. She sighed before continuing, "She'd been sick before. Ever since I can remember, she would be fine for months at a time, and then suddenly she'd be going in and out of hospital for a few weeks. Every time, though, she got over it. This time… she just _didn't_."

"I'm sorry," Lucy said softly.

Sally-Anne shrugged. "It'll be harder when we have to try and go back to living our lives normally," she said. "We're going to move house, you know. Dad is going to stay with his family for a while until he finds a new place. He says that he can't live here now she's gone—too many memories."

"That makes sense," Lucy commented.

"Thing is, I'm going to have to live with my aunt for a week before we leave for school," Sally-Anne went on. "Becky's staying with Amy Abbot for the last week, and I'll be shoved into a tiny bedroom with my cousin Tina." She made a face.

Lucy frowned in thought for a moment. "Oh!" she gasped. "My mom and I are staying at the Leaky Cauldron. You can come stay with us for the next week if you want."

"Really?" Sally-Anne asked. "Are you sure your mum would be okay with that?"

"I'll check with her, but I'm sure she'll be fine with it," Lucy answered. "I'm here to help you with whatever you need."

"That would be wonderful, actually," Sally-Anne said.

"We can hang out in Diagon Alley and eat ice cream and just enjoy the end of our holidays," Lucy continued, and she could see Sally-Anne perking up at the idea.

"Well, I hope your mum is okay with this, because I'm getting a bit excited," Sally-Anne remarked.

"Just as a head's up, I _am_ supposed to meet up with at least Ron and the Weasleys on the day before we get on the Hogwarts Express," Lucy added. "You are more than welcome to join us." Sally-Anne nodded, and Lucy got out of her chair as she went on, "Hold tight for a second. I'm going to talk to my mom about you coming to stay with us."

Lucy moved through the crowd of guests and found her mom on the other side of the room.

"Is everything all right?" Sue asked.

"Yes," Lucy replied. "I wanted to ask you for a favor. Could Sally-Anne come and stay with us at the Leaky Cauldron until we have to go back to school?"

"Why would she want to come stay with us?" Sue questioned, looking confused.

"Apparently, her dad is going to be moving after all of this," Lucy answered. "They don't have another house lined up yet, so they were going to stay with her aunt's family. I think Sally-Anne just wants to get away from all of this, so she's not moping around all week until she has to go back to school."

"Well, I suppose if her father is all right with it…" Sue said, still sounding uncertain. "I would be okay with it, but I don't want to upset her family."

"Her sister Becky is going to stay with a friend for the rest of the holidays," Lucy reasoned with a shrug.

"All right," Sue said. "Is she going to come back with us today?"

"I'm not sure," Lucy replied. "I'll find out. Thanks, Mom."

Sue smiled. "You're a good friend, sweetie," she said. "Go on. I'll talk to you later."

Lucy nodded and went back to Sally-Anne, who was still sitting in the same seat. "My mom says it's okay if you want to come stay with us," Lucy reported, "as long as it's okay with your dad."

"I'm sure it will be," Sally-Anne replied, "but I'll check with him anyway. It'll have to wait until a little later, though. How long were you planning on staying?"

"I'll stay as long as you need me to," Lucy answered immediately.

"We're going to the—the cemetery in half an hour," Sally-Anne said, glancing at her watch—Lucy noted that she had a hard time saying the word _cemetery_. "It's just down the road a little way," Sally-Anne went on. "After that, I'll be able to talk to him." She stood up and said, "You know, I think I want to go and pack my things just to be ready. Also, I'm getting tired of all the sympathetic looks people keep giving me."

"All right," Lucy said. "Want me to come with you?"

"Please," Sally-Anne answered.

The girls stood up, and Lucy followed Sally-Ann through the sitting room and up the stairs. Sally-Anne's room was the first door on the right. Lucy was surprised to see that the walls were painted a pale pink, but less surprised to see that there were clothes and other things strewn about the room.

"Pink walls?" Lucy asked.

"When I was little, pink was my favorite color," Sally-Anne replied. "I never bothered to get my room repainted, especially once I started going off to school." She cleared off some clothes from the bed and gestured to it. "You can sit down, if you like."

Lucy complied. Sally-Anne opened her trunk and started to throw her things into it.

Lucy, meanwhile, looked around the room. She noticed a picture frame on the bedside table. "Who's that?" Lucy asked, pointing to the photo in the frame. It was clearly a picture of a young Sally-Anne, and she had her arm around another girl.

"That's my friend Theresa," Sally-Anne explained, smiling fondly at the photo. "She was a girl I knew back when I was going to Muggle primary school."

"You went to a Muggle school?" Lucy questioned, intrigued.

"Well, you know that my dad's a Muggle, and for a while he wanted my sister and I to go to Muggle school instead of Hogwarts," Sally-Anne said. "He and my mum eventually compromised; we went to a Muggle primary school, and then we went to Hogwarts when we got our letters."

"Why didn't he want you going to Hogwarts?" Lucy wondered.

"I think he was nervous that we wouldn't get a proper education at a magical school," Sally-Anne replied. "Mum got him to come 'round in the end, though."

"So, do you still see Theresa during the summer?" Lucy questioned.

Sally-Anne sighed heavily before answering, "No. She had leukemia and passed away just before I started school at Hogwarts."

"Oh, I'm sorry," Lucy said immediately.

"It's all right," Sally-Anne said. "We kind of knew that it was coming, so we were able to have such a fun summer together before it happened." She paused for a moment before adding, "I suppose I should pack that photo, too. My dad will be in a different house next summer, and I don't want to make him have to pack up anything I left behind."

Lucy picked up the frame and handed it over.

**~LJ:C~**

About half an hour later, Lucy and Sally-Anne went back downstairs to rejoin the other grievers. It was time to go over to the cemetery.

Lucy stood by her mother in the crowd, while Sally-Anne went to the front with her father and sister. There was a minister there who said some words and read a passage from the bible. Then they lowered the coffin into the ground, and the minister said one last blessing.

Just like that, it was over. The crowd began to disperse. Lucy couldn't help but wonder if her birth parents had had a funeral like this, full of friends and family that Lucy never had the chance to meet.

"Are you all right, sweetheart?" Sue asked quietly from beside Lucy.

"Yeah," Lucy answered. "I'm okay. I just can't imagine what Sally-Anne must be thinking. I lost my parents when I was so young that I can't remember them, and I've always had you and Dad.… To have had all that time with your mother and then to lose it… I can't imagine the feeling."

Sue put her arm around her daughter's shoulders and squeezed lightly. "So, what are we going to do now?" she asked after a moment. "Are we going to wait for Sally-Anne, or are we going back to the Leaky Cauldron on our own?"

"I'm going to wait for Sally-Anne," Lucy replied. "She said that she was going to talk to her father when they got back to their house."

So, Lucy and Sue joined the crowd that was going back to Sally-Anne's house. Sally-Anne caught up with them when they got inside and told them that she was going to talk to her dad. Then she disappeared deeper into the house.

Five minutes later, Sally-Anne came hurrying through the crowd. "Dad said it was okay," she informed them.

"Are you sure you want to leave your dad all alone?" Sue asked gently.

"Well, he'll be with his sister for a while, so he won't be totally alone," Sally-Anne replied. "Besides, I think he would appreciate the time to grieve on his own. He's always been that way."

"So, are you going to come with us right now, or do you want to stay for a little while longer?" Lucy asked.

"No, I'm nearly ready," Sally-Anne answered. "I just have to finish packing my trunk."

Lucy and Sally-Anne went back upstairs to get her trunk. There were only a few more things around Sally-Anne's room that she packed away. The room was very bare. Sally-Anne took one more look around to make sure she had everything, and then she and Lucy carried her trunk together down the stairs.

"How are we getting back to the Leaky Cauldron?" Lucy asked Sue. "Can we Floo from here, or—?"

"I don't think that would be a good idea," Sally-Anne cut in. "My house is packed with Muggles right now. Most of them have no idea that my mother was a witch and that my sister and I are witches, too. I think that would be a little disturbing for them to watch us vanish through a fireplace."

"I guess we'll have to Apparate again," Sue said. "Have you ever traveled by Side-Along Apparition before, Sally-Anne?"

"Yes," Sally-Anne replied. "Mum was always running late, so it was easier to get around by Apparating."

"Well, let's get out of your house first," Sue said. "We'll get somewhere secluded, and I'll send your trunk back to our room before we leave. Is there anything else you need to do?"

"I'll go let my dad know that I'm leaving," Sally-Anne answered. "I'll be right back."

Once Sally-Anne was out of earshot, Lucy said, "Thank you for this, Mom. I know it's short notice, but I think she's really going to appreciate this."

Sue smiled. "You're a wonderful friend, Lucy," she said. "Not many people would go out of their way to help someone like you have."

Lucy's cheeks felt warm.

About a minute later, Sally-Anne had returned. "Everything's good to go," she said. "Let's get out of here."

Sue led the way out of the house, while Lucy and Sally-Anne carried the trunk between them. They walked a little way down the road and back into the wooded area where Lucy and Sue had Apparated to earlier.

"We should be all right now," Sue said, pulling out her wand. "I'll send the trunk directly to our room, and then we can Apparate to Diagon Alley. Ready?"

Lucy and Sally-Anne nodded, setting the trunk on the ground. Sue waved her wand, and the trunk disappeared.

"Now comes the fun part," Lucy said sarcastically.

Sue held her arm out, and both Lucy and Sally-Anne took hold of it. "Hold tight," Sue warned, and then she spun on her toe.

Lucy felt herself being forced into the now vaguely familiar darkness that was Apparition. She repeated to herself that she was going to be all right, even though she couldn't breathe.

A moment later, they were in the same side alleyway that Lucy and Sue had first arrived in. Lucy was surprised that she didn't feel nauseous this time around, although she did take a few big gulps of air. Sue and Sally-Anne both seemed perfectly fine.

"I hope I get used to this by the time I'm old enough to Apparate myself," Lucy muttered.

"Well, let's go back to the room so that Sally-Anne can get situated," Sue said. "Then you two can go shopping for your school things or whatever you'd like to do."

"Sounds good," Lucy said.

The three witches walked down Diagon Alley and paused at the brick wall between the alley and the Leaky Cauldron. Sue once again tapped the correct brick, and the archway appeared. Lucy, Sue, and Sally-Anne trooped into the pub, but Lucy stopped suddenly when she saw a boy she thought she recognized.

"Harry?"

**~LJ:C~**

* * *

_**A/N: This story was the point where I realized that I'd kind of shot myself in the foot with having Lucy adopted by an American couple. I needed Lucy to be with the others during the summers after this story, so I decided to have her parents come up with the idea that she could stay with the Weasleys if she wanted to. Dan and Sue do make an appearance in the fourth story and the sixth story, and I'll talk some more about their background then.**_

_**The rest of this chapter came about because I wanted to help solidify Lucy's friendship with Sally-Anne. This chapter shows some background into Sally-Anne's life, too.**_


	3. 3: Reunited in Diagon Alley

_**Disclaimer: Harry Potter is not mine.**_

* * *

**Chapter 3 – Reunited in Diagon Alley**

The boy turned so Lucy could see him better. He had familiar black hair, bright green eyes, and an unmistakable lightning bolt-shaped scar on his forehead. It was indeed Harry Potter.

"Harry!" Lucy repeated, running forward and throwing her arms around her friend.

"Hi, Lucy," Harry replied, hugging her back. "What are you doing here?"

Lucy pulled away from him, grinning. "Well, we have to get back on the train in a week, don't we?" she said, not wanting to gossip about Sally-Anne's personal life right in front of her. "Never mind why I'm here. Why are _you_ here? Shouldn't you be at your aunt's and uncle's?"

"I'll tell you later," Harry replied. "It's a long story."

"All right," Lucy sighed. "So, what are you up to? Sally-Anne and I were going to explore some of Diagon Alley, if you wanted to join us."

"Sounds good to me," Harry replied with a shrug.

"Wait here, okay?" Lucy instructed. "We'll be back in a few minutes." She turned and hurried back to Sally-Anne and Sue.

"What's Harry doing here?" Sally-Anne asked.

"I'm not sure yet, but you can bet that I'm going to find out," Lucy replied. "He said that he'd wait and go into Diagon Alley with us."

After spending a few minutes in their room and promising Sue that they would meet her later for dinner, Lucy and Sally-Anne rejoined Harry down in the pub. Then the three of them went back into Diagon Alley.

"All right, spill the beans, Harry," Lucy began. "Why are you here?"

"Well, er—I may have accidentally blown up my uncle's sister a few weeks ago," Harry mumbled.

"You _blew someone up_?" Lucy shrieked.

Harry shushed her. "Like a balloon, Lucy," he explained.

Lucy gave a big sigh of relief. "I think a better word to use would have been _inflate_," she told him, and Harry shrugged.

"Why would you want to blow up your aunt?" Sally-Anne asked.

"I—I lost control," Harry admitted. "She was calling my father a no-good drunken idiot, and I couldn't stand listening to her anymore."

"Well, that was rude of her!" Lucy exclaimed.

"Tell me about it," Harry said with a roll of his eyes. "So, I ended up sort of running away from the Dursleys' house, and Fudge—you know, the Minister of Magic—caught up with me here."

"Oh, no," Lucy gasped. "Did you get into a lot of trouble?"

"Surprisingly, no," Harry answered. "I still haven't figured out why. I thought I was going to be arrested, to be honest with you—I'd already gotten the warning about underage magic last summer. He let me off, though, but he made me promise that I'd stay here at the Leaky Cauldron and not leave Diagon Alley."

"So you've been living here for the past few weeks?" Sally-Anne asked.

"Yes," Harry said. "It's been great. I almost wish I would have thought about this earlier; I could have left the Dursleys' _ages_ ago."

"I'm sure that you're safer at their house, even if they are horrible to you," Lucy said. Harry gave her a look, and she changed the subject, saying, "I need to stop into Gringotts to get some gold out of my vault. We should decide where we want to go after that."

"I should get some spending money, too," Sally-Anne agreed.

At the end of the street was the giant, glittering building that was Gringotts Bank. Lucy, Sally-Anne, and Harry marched up the steps and were bowed inside by a pair of goblins. They went up to the nearest unoccupied goblin and requested to go down into the vaults that were deep under the building.

After Lucy and Sally-Anne had visited their vaults and gotten some gold, they decided to stop in at Madam Malkin's to get some new robes. Their next stop was the Apothecary to refill some of their potions ingredients.

"I think the only other things I need for school are books," Lucy said, consulting her equipment list that was in her bag.

"Me, too," Sally-Anne said. "Which books do you need?"

Lucy glanced over the other girl's list. "Are you taking Muggle Studies?" she asked.

"Yes," Sally-Anne replied. "Why?"

"Your dad's a Muggle, _and_ you went to a Muggle primary school," Lucy pointed out. "Why would you need to take Muggle Studies?"

"Hermione's taking Muggle Studies," Harry cut in.

"True, but Hermione is just… Hermione," Lucy said.

"They didn't say I _couldn't_ take it," Sally-Anne said with a shrug.

They reached the bookstore and entered it.

"Good afternoon," the shop's manager greeted as they entered the store. "Hogwarts, I suppose? Will you be needing one of these?" He gestured to a large cage full of books that were attacking one another. _The Monster Book of Monsters_ was written on a label attached to the outside of the cage.

Lucy and Sally-Anne both looked at their lists.

"Yes, I suppose I do need one of those," Lucy said uncertainly.

"I do, as well," Sally-Anne chimed in.

The manager, looking distraught, pulled on a pair of gloves and grabbed a walking stick before making his way over to the door of the cage. He opened the door and managed to grab one of the books with one hand, the other one brandishing the walking stick like a sword at the group of monster books. He shut the cage door, panting, and grabbed a leather belt from a pile sitting beside the cage. He wrapped it around the book and bound it shut so the book couldn't bite anybody. He handed the book to Sally-Anne before going back to the cage.

After struggling to pull out another book, he gave one to Lucy, as well. "Here you are," the manager said, looking exhausted. "Will you be able to find your other books? It's been very busy for me today with all the students coming in."

"Of course," Sally-Anne replied quickly.

"Thank you for this one," Lucy added. She put the squirming book into her bag and then looked at her list once more.

Harry assisted the girls when he could as they walked around the shop. "You know, Lucy, _you_ seem to know a lot about Muggles, too," Harry commented as Lucy and Sally-Anne collected their Muggle Studies books.

Lucy shrugged. "My parents live in a Muggle town," she explained. "I've grown up around Muggles, and I know how to pretend to be a Muggle. You know, I've noticed that the American Wizarding society is much less old fashioned as compared to the British one. There's hardly any emphasis on blood purity in America, because the first wizards over there were generally half-bloods and Muggleborns escaping from oppression."

"So there's no importance on blood status over there?" Harry asked, sounding intrigued.

"Not really," Lucy replied. "I mean, families who have been in America since the beginning think they're pretty important, but other than that, blood status really isn't a big deal. In fact, a lot of Wizarding families send their children to Muggle schools since most kids can get through elementary school before going to Ilvermorny."

"Ilvermorny?" Sally-Anne repeated.

"Ilvermorny School of Witchcraft and Wizardry," Lucy said. "It's the American school of magic."

"Did you go to Muggle school?" Harry asked.

"No, my parents were too worried about me accidentally using magic," Lucy said. "Besides, my mom was home a lot of the time, so she was able to teach me the basic things I needed to know."

"So, why are you taking Muggle Studies?" Harry prompted.

"I'm interested in the interactions between the Wizarding world and the Muggle world," Lucy answered. "I think it's important for wizards to know about Muggles, how their society works, and how they get along without magic. I'd love to someday work with wizards to get them more used to Muggles and help them to better blend in with Muggles."

Lucy and Sally-Anne took their armfuls of books up to the front of the shop and paid for them. Then they exited the store.

"So where should we go now?" Sally-Anne asked.

"Come on—let's go to the Quidditch supply store," Harry spoke up. "Now that you two have your shopping all done, you _have_ to come and see this new broomstick they have in stock.…"

**~LJ:C~**

When dinnertime came around, Lucy, Sally-Anne, and Harry went back to the Leaky Cauldron to meet up with Sue. After a nice meal, Lucy and Sally-Anne said good night to Harry and went back up to their room to pack their new school things into their trunks.

For the next week, Lucy, Sally-Anne, and Harry spent time exploring Diagon Alley. They had breakfast and dinner at the Leaky Cauldron with Sue, but otherwise it was just the three of them. Lucy was especially happy that Sally-Anne seemed to be enjoying herself; now she wasn't spending all that time overthinking her mother's death.

Finally, the day before they left for Hogwarts had arrived. It was also the day that Lucy was originally going to meet up with the Weasleys. She had informed Harry about this, and they were both very excited to see their friends again.

That morning, Lucy and Sally-Anne met Harry downstairs for breakfast.

"I have some news," Sally-Anne said as they were finishing their meals. "I got an owl this morning. Some of my friends will be here today, so I'll be able to get out of your hair for a little while."

"You haven't been in our hair!" Lucy insisted.

"Oh, you know what I mean," Sally-Anne said with a smile. "You'll be able to catch up with the Weasleys, and I'll be able to catch up with my other friends."

"If you're sure," Lucy said. "I hope you have fun with your friends today."

"You two have a good time with the Weasleys," Sally-Anne said. She stood up from the table and stretched. "I'll see you at dinnertime, probably."

"'Bye," Lucy and Harry said at the same time, and Sally-Anne left through the back door of the pub.

"So, where should we go today?" Harry asked.

"I don't know," Lucy replied. "As long as we keep a lookout for the Weasleys, we can do whatever you like."

The two set off down Diagon Alley again, keeping their eyes open for Ron and the rest of his family. Before lunch, Harry dragged Lucy over to the Quidditch shop again to take a look at the brand-new broomstick: the Firebolt.

"Come on, Harry. I'm hungry," Lucy said, finally pulling him away from the broomstick. "Where do you want to eat?"

"We could always go back to the Leaky Cauldron," Harry started, but they were cut off by shouts of their names.

"Harry! Lucy!"

They both turned towards the ice cream shop to see Ron and Hermione waving at them from one of the tables out front. Lucy squealed and ran over to her friends, giving them both hugs.

"Finally," Ron said with a grin.

"That looks really good," Lucy said, glancing over her friends' ice creams. "Harry, do you want one? I'll get them." She hurried into the shop to buy two ice creams.

A minute later, she returned to her friends and handed Harry one of the treats.

"We're glad we finally found you," Ron said after Lucy had sat down. "We went to the Leaky Cauldron, but they said you'd left. So we went to Flourish and Blotts and Madam Malkin's and—"

"I got all my school stuff a few weeks ago," Harry replied.

"I got my stuff last week," Lucy chimed in.

"Wait, how long have you been here, Lucy?" Hermione asked curiously.

"I actually came here earlier than I'd planned," Lucy said. "Sally-Anne—you know, Perks—sent me an owl letting me know that her mother had passed away, so I came for the funeral. My mom and I have been staying here since then. Actually, Sally-Anne has been staying here with us, too, to kind of get away from the bad memories."

"Oh, no," Hermione said. "How is she doing?"

"I think she's doing well enough, considering," Lucy replied. "I really think she's doing so well because she was able to get away before having to go back to school."

There was a moment of silence.

"How come you knew I was staying at the Leaky Cauldron?" Harry asked, turning back to Ron. "Or were you looking for Lucy?"

"We were looking for both of you," Ron said. "I knew _you_ were here because of Dad."

"Did you _really_ blow up your aunt, Harry?" Hermione asked.

Harry repeated the story of what had happened for Hermione's and Ron's benefit. When he reached the end, Ron doubled over laughing.

"Harry, _what_ were you thinking?" Hermione questioned reprovingly.

"I didn't mean to," Harry insisted. "I just—lost control."

"It's not funny, Ron," Hermione said to their still-laughing friend. "Honestly, I'm amazed Harry wasn't expelled."

"So am I," Harry said. "Forget being expelled; I thought I was going to be arrested. Your dad doesn't know why Fudge let me off, does he?" he asked Ron, whose laughter was now under control.

"Probably 'cause it's you, isn't it?" Ron replied. "Famous Harry Potter and all that. I'd hate to see what the Ministry'd do to _me_ if I blew up _my_ aunt. Mind you, they'd have to dig me up first, because Mum would've killed me. Anyway, you can ask Dad yourself this evening. We're staying at the Leaky Cauldron tonight, too, so you can come to King's Cross with us tomorrow! Hermione's there, as well."

"Mum and Dad dropped me off this morning with all my Hogwarts things," Hermione confirmed, smiling.

Lucy squealed again and threw her arms around Hermione's shoulders.

"Excellent!" Harry exclaimed. "So, have you got all your new books and stuff?"

"Look at this," Ron replied, pulling out a wand. "Brand new wand. Fourteen inches, willow, containing one unicorn tail-hair. We've got all our books, too.…" He gestured to a bag at his feet. "What about those _Monster Books_, eh? The assistant nearly _cried_ when we said we wanted two."

"What's all that, Hermione?" Harry asked, looking at the three bags that she had.

"Well, I'm taking more new subjects than you, aren't I?" Hermione said. "Those are my books for Arithmancy, Care of Magical Creatures, Divination, the Study of Ancient Runes, and Muggle Studies—"

"What are you doing Muggle Studies for?" Ron asked, shaking his head in disbelief. "You're Muggleborn! Your mum and dad are Muggles! You already know all about Muggles!"

"But it'll be fascinating to study them from the Wizarding point of view," Hermione replied, sounding eager.

"Are you planning to eat or sleep at all this year, Hermione?" Harry asked, smirking.

"Oh, leave her alone," Lucy said, shaking her head at the boys.

Hermione looked into her purse. "I've still got ten Galleons," she said. "It's my birthday in September, and Mum and Dad gave me some money to get myself an early birthday present."

"How about a nice _book_?" Ron asked, trying to stifle a snigger.

"No, I don't think so," Hermione answered, ignoring Ron's jab. "I really want an owl. I mean, Harry's got Hedwig, and you've got Errol—"

"I haven't," Ron said. "Errol's a family owl. All I've got is Scabbers." He reached into his pocket and pulled his rat out. "I want to get him checked over," he continued. "I don't think Egypt agreed with him." He set the rat on the table, and Lucy leaned over, noticing that Scabbers was definitely looking skinnier than usual.

"There's a magical creature shop just over there," Harry said, pointing down the street. "You could see if they've got anything for Scabbers, and Hermione can get her owl."

**~LJ:C~**

When they had all finished up their ice creams, they started down the street towards the magical creature shop.

It was dark and cramped inside the shop. Cages full of all kinds of creatures lined the walls. There was someone ahead of them in line, so Lucy, Harry, Ron, and Hermione waited patiently, looking around at all the animals.

"Look at that one!" Lucy said to Hermione, pointing at a small barn owl. "It's cute."

"Ooh, maybe," Hermione replied.

The wizard who was ahead of them finished, and Ron stepped up to the counter. "It's my rat," he said to the witch behind the desk. "He's been a bit off-color ever since I brought him back from Egypt."

"Bang him on the counter," the witch requested, putting a pair of glasses on.

Ron set Scabbers on the counter. There was a cage of much younger-looking rats nearby, and they all scurried to the edge of their cage to see Scabbers.

"Hm," the witch began, bending over Scabbers. "How old is this rat?"

"Dunno," Ron replied. "Quite old. He used to belong to my brother."

"What powers does he have?" the witch asked.

"Er…" Ron trailed off, sounding unsure of how to answer the witch's question.

"He's been through the mill, this one," the witch commented.

"He was like that when Percy gave him to me," Ron said quickly.

"An ordinary, common, or garden rat like this can't be expected to live longer than three years or so," the witch explained. "Now, if you were looking for something a bit more hard-wearing, you might like one of these.…" She motioned to the cage of rats near them. "If you don't want a replacement, though, you can try this rat tonic," she finished, reaching under the counter and taking out a small red phial.

"Okay," Ron agreed. "How much—OUCH!"

At that moment, a large animal had landed on Ron's head. It then shot itself at Scabbers, hissing loudly.

"NO, CROOKSHANKS, NO!" the witch behind the counter yelled, but it didn't do any good.

Scabbers jumped down from the counter and onto the floor. Then he waddled quickly for the door.

"Scabbers!" Ron shouted before hurrying after his rat, and Harry followed him.

Meanwhile, the witch was trying to get the large animal under control. It took her a few minutes to subdue it.

"What is that?" Lucy asked. "Is it a cat, or—?"

"He's part cat, part kneazle, we think," the witch replied. "He's been here for a long time. We haven't found anyone who wants to adopt him. He tends to chase smaller animals, but I've never seen him react like _that_ to a rat.…"

"May I see him?" Hermione asked.

The witch reluctantly agreed, and she deposited the large cat into Hermione's arms.

"Oh, he's lovely, isn't he?" Hermione asked Lucy.

Lucy had to admit, now that he had calmed down, he did seem much nicer. He was purring loudly, rubbing his face against Hermione's chin.

"I think he likes you, Hermione," Lucy said, reaching over to scratch his ear, and Crookshanks leaned into Lucy's hand. "I wonder if you and Evie would get along," Lucy added thoughtfully.

"Poor Crookshanks," Hermione cooed. "You just want to get adopted, don't you?" She paused for a few moments, stroking Crookshanks's fur, before turning to the witch and saying, "I want to adopt him."

"Are you sure?" the witch asked.

Hermione nodded vigorously. The witch shrugged and got a few cat supplies for Hermione. Hermione paid for Crookshanks, and she and Lucy turned to exit the shop.

Lucy had only taken a few steps before she stopped in her tracks. "Oh, and how much was that rat tonic?" she asked, spinning back around.

"Nine Sickles," the witch replied.

Lucy fished around in her purse for the money and handed it over. "Thank you," she said, taking the phial from the witch. Then she followed Hermione from the shop.

They started down the alley in the direction that Ron and Harry had run.

"Are you sure you don't want an owl?" Lucy asked Hermione.

"Well, the school does have owls that I can keep borrowing," she said. "I think it'll be okay for a while."

They weren't walking for very long when they caught up with Harry and Ron, who were coming back towards them.

"You _bought_ that monster?" Ron cried incredulously when he saw Hermione carrying Crookshanks.

"He's _gorgeous_, isn't he?" Hermione replied, smiling admiringly at her new cat.

"Hermione, that thing nearly scalped me!" Ron shot back.

"He didn't mean to, did you, Crookshanks?" Hermione said, stroking Crookshanks's head.

"What about Scabbers?" Ron continued, motioning to the lump in his pocket. "He needs rest and relaxation! How's he going to get it with that _thing_ around?"

"He's not a _thing_, Ron," Lucy scolded, reaching over and patting Crookshanks's head, as well. "Here, you forgot your rat tonic." She handed over the bottle.

Ron took it, still glowering at Hermione's new cat.

"Stop _worrying_," Hermione said. "Crookshanks will be sleeping in my dormitory, and Scabbers will be in yours. What's the problem? Poor Crookshanks. That witch said he'd been in there for ages; no one wanted him."

"I wonder why," Ron muttered darkly, and Lucy gave him a look, which he ignored.

"Let's go back to the Leaky Cauldron," Harry suggested. "I'm sure Hermione is tired of carrying around all those bags and a cat."

The other three agreed, and they started back up the alley.

**~LJ:C~**

When Lucy and her friends entered the Leaky Cauldron, they found Sue sitting with Arthur Weasley at the bar. They were looking at a copy of the _Daily Prophet_.

"Hi, Mom," Lucy greeted. "Hello, Mr. Weasley."

"Hello, Lucy," Mr. Weasley said, smiling at her. "Well, and Harry, too! How are you?"

"Fine, thanks," Harry replied as they joined the two adults.

Mr. Weasley smoothed the paper out on the bar top. There was a large picture of Sirius Black looking up from the front page.

"They still haven't caught him, then?" Harry asked.

"No," Mr. Weasley replied. "They've pulled us all off our regular jobs at the Ministry to try and find him, but no luck so far."

"Would we get a reward if we caught him?" Ron spoke up. "It'd be good to get some more money—"

"Don't be ridiculous, Ron," Mr. Weasley sighed. "Black's not going to be caught by a thirteen-year-old wizard. It's the Azkaban guards who'll get him back, mark my words." He and Sue both shuddered at the thought of the guards.

There was a commotion at the Leaky Cauldron door. Mrs. Weasley entered from Diagon Alley, herding four of her other children through it. Lucy leapt up and threw herself at Ginny, wrapping her into a tight hug.

"Hi, Lucy," Ginny said, laughing.

Lucy had barely pulled away when she was being swept off her feet by one of the Weasley twins.

"We were wondering where you were," George said, practically crushing Lucy in a hug.

"I'm right here," she replied, giggling.

George released her, and his twin Fred immediately stepped in for a hug of his own. "It was weird without you this summer," Fred said. "We were so used to having two sisters during the summer that it was strange to only have one."

"Oh, Lucy, dear," Mrs. Weasley said, pulling Lucy into yet another hug. "Bill and Charlie send their hellos, as well."

"Seriously, though," George said as he and Fred steered Lucy away from their mother, "next summer you'll definitely need to come stay for a while."

"Well, my parents said that I could stay with you guys for the entire summer," Lucy announced.

George and Fred exchanged excited looks before turning to their mom.

"It's up to you, though, dear," Mrs. Weasley said, beaming at Lucy.

Lucy looked over at Sue, who was also smiling, although it seemed a bit sadder than Mrs. Weasley's grin.

"Oh, please tell me you'll stay with us all summer!" Ginny exclaimed. "It'll be nice to have another girl around."

"All right, all right," Lucy said. "If you really insist that much." She laughed as Fred, George, and Ginny all whooped in delight. "Ron? Are you okay with that?" she asked, looking over to her friend.

"What?" Ron said. "Oh, yeah. Sure. Doesn't bother me."

"Typical," Lucy said, shaking her head.

The rest of the Weasleys moved on to greet Harry.

"Harry," Percy, the eldest of the Weasley children present, said. He offered his hand to Harry. "How nice to see you."

"Hello, Percy," Harry replied, looking amused. He shook Percy's hand.

"I hope you're well?" Percy continued.

"Very well, thanks," Harry answered.

"Harry!" Fred said, pushing Percy out of the way and bowing to Harry. "Simply _splendid_ to see you, old boy!"

"Marvelous," George cut in, shoving Fred away and grabbing Harry's hand. "Absolutely spiffing."

Percy glared at his younger brothers' mockery.

"That's enough, now," Mrs. Weasley scolded.

"Mum!" Fred exclaimed, rushing over to grab her hand. "How really corking to see you!"

"I said, that's enough," Mrs. Weasley said firmly. "Hello, Harry, dear. I suppose you've heard our exciting news?" She pointed to Percy and said, "Second Head Boy in the family!"

"And last," Fred said quietly.

"I don't doubt that," Mrs. Weasley said, turning to the twins. "I notice they haven't made you two prefects."

"What do we want to be prefects for?" George asked, looking insulted that his mother would even suggest the idea. "It'd take all the fun out of life."

Lucy and Ginny giggled.

"You want to set a better example for your sister!" Mrs. Weasley insisted.

"Ginny's got other brothers to set her an example, Mother," Percy said. "I'm going up to change for dinner.…" He turned and left for the stairs.

"We tried to shut him in a pyramid," George whispered to Lucy and Harry, "but Mum spotted us."

Lucy and Harry both stifled their laughter.

Mrs. Weasley suggested that they all go put their shopping in their rooms and meet downstairs later for dinner. Lucy helped Hermione with her extra bags.

"I don't think there's anything wrong with being a prefect," Hermione said as she unlocked the door to her room. "I think it's nice that Percy was made Head Boy. He wanted it really badly."

"There's nothing wrong with it," Lucy agreed. "I just don't think we'd want Fred or George to be prefects. It's just not their thing."

The girls entered the room, and Hermione let Crookshanks out of her arms. "I suppose you're right," Hermione answered. "They could give Percy a break, though."

Lucy shrugged. Hermione opened her trunk and began to pile her new books neatly inside it as Lucy watched.

**~LJ:C~**

There were twelve of them at dinner that night after Sally-Anne returned to the pub. The innkeeper helped them push a few of the tables together so they could all sit and eat with each other. They were presented with five whole courses, and by the time dessert appeared, Lucy was feeling thoroughly stuffed.

"How're we getting to King's Cross tomorrow, Dad?" Fred asked.

"The Ministry's providing a couple of cars," Mr. Weasley replied casually.

All the kids stopped eating, looking at him curiously.

"Why?" Percy asked.

"It's because of you, Perce," George said. "There'll be little flags on the hoods with HB on them."

"For Humongous Bighead," Fred clarified.

Everyone but Mrs. Weasley and Percy let out snorts of laughter at that.

"Why are the Ministry providing cars, Father?" Percy asked again, holding his head up high.

"Well, as we haven't got one anymore," Mr. Weasley started, looking uncomfortable, "and as I work there, they're doing me a favor—"

"Good thing, too," Mrs. Weasley cut in. "Do you realize how much luggage you've all got between you? A nice sight you'd be on the Muggle Underground.… You _are_ all packed, aren't you?"

"Ron hasn't put all his new things in his trunk yet," Percy said indignantly. "He's dumped them on _my_ bed."

"You'd better go and pack properly, Ron, because we won't have much time in the morning," Mrs. Weasley suggested.

Ron, looking partially annoyed and partially embarrassed, glared across the table at Percy.

"The rest of you better check and make sure you have everything packed, as well," Mrs. Weasley added, looking around at the other children.

**~LJ:C~**

After dinner, Lucy and Hermione were the last of the kids to be in the parlor with the adults, listening to Mr. Weasley's work stories. Lucy had missed hearing about what bewitched Muggle things Mr. Weasley had come across while he'd been working.

"It's getting late, girls," Mrs. Weasley finally said. "I'm sure you two are already packed, but you better make sure you've got everything and get some rest."

Lucy and Hermione nodded, bidding the adults good night before heading back up the stairs. They were just passing the room that Ron and Percy were sharing when they heard shouting.

Harry, who was staying in the room next door, poked his head out as Lucy and Hermione passed. "Are Ron and Percy fighting?" he asked.

The three of them went over to Percy's and Ron's door and pushed it open.

"It was _here_, on the bedside table! I took it off for polishing!" Percy was shouting.

"I haven't touched it, all right?" Ron yelled back.

"What's up?" Harry asked as he and the girls stood in the doorway.

"My Head Boy badge is gone," Percy replied, looking suspiciously at the three of them.

"We don't have your badge, Percy," Lucy said calmly.

"Scabbers's rat tonic is missing, too," Ron said. "I think I must've left it in the bar—"

"You're not going anywhere 'til you've found my badge!" Percy cried.

"I'll get Scabbers's stuff. I'm all packed," Harry offered. He said good night to Lucy and Hermione and then started back down the stairs.

"Well, we're going to go to bed," Lucy told Ron. "Good night. We'll see you in the morning. And, er—good luck." She nodded her head towards Percy's back.

Ron groaned and rolled his eyes. "Yeah, good night," he said.

Lucy and Hermione retreated down the hall a few doors, exchanged farewells, and parted ways.

When Lucy entered her room, she saw that Sally-Anne was packing things into her trunk. "I didn't get a chance to ask you earlier, but how was your day?" Lucy asked.

Sally-Anne looked up, smiling. "It was great," she replied. "Thank you so much for letting me stay with you this week. I really needed to get away from home and clear my head before going back to school."

"I'm glad I was able to help," Lucy said. She went over to her own trunk to make sure that everything was put away properly. "Are you excited to go back tomorrow?"

"Mostly," Sally-Anne answered. "I'm not looking forward to having more classes in my schedule, but I'm sure we'll all get through it all right."

"I don't know about Hermione," Lucy said. "She's taking _all_ _five_ extra courses. I don't know how she's going to pull _that_ off."

A few minutes later, both girls were finished packing their trunks. They both changed into their pajamas and got into their beds. They said good night to one another, and Lucy snuggled up under the covers.

She'd only been in bed for a short while before she heard Sue enter the room and get ready for bed.

"Good night, Lucy," Sue whispered as she got into the bed next to her daughter.

"Good night, Mom," Lucy replied.

Then she rolled over and shut her eyes. She felt Evie curl up into her side before falling asleep. That night her dreams were full of the Hogwarts Express.

**~LJ:C~**

* * *

_**A/N: I really like the little bit of information Lucy shares with Sally-Anne and Harry about Ilvermorny and America.**_

_**And as I was writing this chapter after writing the previous chapter, I realized I'd shot myself in the foot **_**again,_ because I didn't want to have Sally-Anne with Lucy and Harry when they meet up with Ron and Hermione. So, that's why it seems a bit abrupt that Sally-Anne just leaves them during the day when Ron and Hermione show up._**

**_The gang's all back together! lol_**


	4. 4: Unwanted Guests

_**Disclaimer: Harry Potter is not mine.**_

* * *

**Chapter 4 – Unwanted Guests**

When Lucy woke up, she rolled over and was surprised to see that her mother's side of the bed was empty. Lucy checked the bed that Sally-Anne had been sleeping in and saw that the other girl was already up and getting ready for the day.

"What time is it?" Lucy asked, glancing over at the little clock on the bedside table.

"It's nearly breakfast," Sally-Anne replied. "I wasn't sure if I should wake you or not."

"That's all right," Lucy said. "I'm getting up."

"I'll see you downstairs then," Sally-Anne said with a smile, and she left the room.

Lucy crawled out of bed, and she quickly changed out of her pajamas and threw them into her trunk. Once she was dressed, she looked around the room to make sure that all her things were packed away. Then she decided to go down to breakfast.

On her way down the hall, she passed Harry's door. She paused, hearing fumbling coming from inside the room. She knocked on the door. "Harry? It's me," she said.

"Come in," Harry's muffled reply came back.

Lucy pushed the door open to see Harry trying to persuade his owl Hedwig into her cage. When Hedwig saw Lucy, she flew over to her. Lucy held out her arm, so the owl could land on it.

"Hedwig, come on. You need to get in your cage," Harry sighed.

Lucy giggled, stroking Hedwig's feathers. "Is Harry being mean?" she asked jokingly. "Is he trying to put you in that tiny cage?" Hedwig hooted and nipped gently at Lucy's fingers, and Lucy said, "Come on. You'd better listen to him."

She held out her arm to Harry, and Harry picked Hedwig up. Hedwig let out a loud hoot of indignation.

"Yeah, I know. You don't like being picked up like this," Harry said, struggling to get Hedwig into the cage. "But you need to be in your cage to get on the train."

Lucy sat down on Harry's bed as he finally managed to get Hedwig to cooperate. Then the door to the room burst open, causing Lucy to jump in surprise.

It was only Ron, who looked very cross. "The sooner we get on the train, the better," he grumbled. "At least I can get away from Percy at Hogwarts. Now he's accusing me of dripping tea on his photo of Penelope Clearwater. You know, his _girlfriend_. She's hidden her face under the frame, because her nose has gone all blotchy—"

"_Did_ you drip tea on the picture?" Lucy asked slyly.

"It was an accident!" Ron said defensively.

"Listen, I've got something to tell you," Harry started, but he was interrupted by Fred and George poking their heads into the room, congratulating Ron on irritating Percy further.

"Also, breakfast is being served downstairs. You don't want to miss it," George added before he and his twin left again.

"Come on, I'm starving," Lucy said, jumping up from Harry's bed and heading for the door.

Ron and Harry followed her down the stairs and into the parlor. Everyone else was already gathered and eating their breakfast.

"What were you saying?" Ron asked Harry as the three of them sat down opposite the twins.

"Later," Harry told them in a low voice.

**~LJ:C~**

Unfortunately for Harry, he couldn't talk to his friends privately before they left for the train station, because trying to leave the Leaky Cauldron was a chaotic affair. There were nine heavy trunks, two owls in cages, and two cats in carriers to drag down the stairs. Crookshanks in particular was very distressed about being stuck in his basket.

"It's all right, Crookshanks," Hermione said, putting her hand on the basket. "I'll let you out on the train."

"You _won't_," Ron said indignantly. "What about poor Scabbers, eh?"

Mr. Weasley interrupted them to tell them that the Ministry's cars had arrived. "Harry, come on," he said, gesturing to Harry to follow him.

Lucy and Sally-Anne turned to Sue, who was planning on Apparating home instead of going to King's Cross with them.

"Thank you so much for letting me stay with you this week, Mrs. Jones," Sally-Anne said.

Sue pulled the girl in for a hug. "It was no problem," she said. "Have a good year. Make your mother proud." She smiled at Sally-Anne, who returned it. Then Sue moved on to her daughter. "You be a good girl," she said. "Have fun, be safe, and do your homework. I love you." She hugged Lucy tightly.

"I love you, too, Mom," Lucy said. "You and Dad stay safe, too."

"Lucy," George called from behind them. "It's time to get in the car."

Lucy gave her mom one final squeeze before pulling away. Then she and Sally-Anne followed George out of the Leaky Cauldron and into one of the cars. Lucy found herself sitting comfortably in between George and Sally-Anne, with Ginny and Fred sitting on George's other side. Somehow all five of them had plenty of room in the backseat.

After all the luggage had been piled into the trunks of the two cars, Mrs. Weasley got into the front seat next to the Ministry driver, and they were off.

**~LJ:C~**

They made it to King's Cross with twenty minutes to spare. The two Ministry drivers found trolleys for all of them and unloaded their trunks onto them before driving away. That left them with fifteen minutes to get onto the train.

Mr. Weasley led the way through the station with Harry, and when they got to the barrier, he paused.

"Right then," he said, loud enough so the whole group could hear. "Let's do this in pairs, as there are so many of us. I'll go through first with Harry."

He ushered Harry up to the barrier and leaned against it. Harry copied him, and a moment later, they had disappeared.

Mrs. Weasley bustled forward to direct the rest of the pairs. "Hermione and Ron, go ahead…" she said quietly, ushering the next two forward.

Hermione and Ron walked briskly through the barrier. Percy and Ginny went next, taking a run at it.

"Lucy and Sally-Anne," Mrs. Weasley said, gesturing them forward.

Lucy and Sally-Anne walked forward together, and after passing through the barrier, they found themselves on platform nine and three-quarters.

Fred and George burst through the barrier right behind them, and Mrs. Weasley was last. She bustled Lucy, Sally-Anne, Fred, and George along. They met up with Mr. Weasley, Harry, Ron, Hermione, and Ginny, who were standing alongside the train.

"Where has Percy got to?" Mrs. Weasley asked, looking around the group.

"He went off to see his _girlfriend_," Ginny replied, giggling.

"Well, you'd better get your things onto the train," Mr. Weasley said. "We'll be waiting here to say good-bye."

"Thanks for the ride to King's Cross, Mr. and Mrs. Weasley," Sally-Anne piped up quickly.

"It was no trouble, dear," Mrs. Weasley said kindly.

Lucy, Harry, Ron, and Hermione got onto the train followed by Sally-Anne, who stopped Lucy.

"Thank you so much, again," she began. "I'm going to catch up with some other friends. I'll see you later!"

Lucy hugged Sally-Anne, and then Sally-Anne started down the train in search of her friends.

Meanwhile, Lucy followed Harry, Ron, and Hermione, who were searching for an empty compartment to stow their luggage in. After a few minutes, they found one at the end of the train and loaded all their trunks into it. Then they hopped back down onto the platform to say their farewells to Mr. and Mrs. Weasley.

Mrs. Weasley was already kissing Percy good-bye when Lucy, Harry, Ron, and Hermione rejoined the group. Fred, George, and Ginny were already waiting next to their parents. Mrs. Weasley kissed the rest of them, as well.

"Do take care, won't you, Harry?" Mrs. Weasley said when she reached Harry last. Then she opened her handbag and said, "I've made you all sandwiches.… Here you are, Ron—no, they're not corned beef.… Fred? Where's Fred? Here you are, dear—"

"Harry, come over here a moment," Mr. Weasley said to Harry, leading him away from the group.

Lucy looked quizzically after them but focused back on Mrs. Weasley as she pressed a sandwich into her hands. "Thank you, Mrs. Weasley," she said.

"Here, this one is for Harry," Mrs. Weasley said, handing Ron another sandwich. "Can you make sure he gets it?"

"Yes, Mum," Ron replied.

"Now, I want you all to have a good term," Mrs. Weasley said. "Be sure to write; your father and I love hearing from you." She glanced anxiously at her watch. "It's nearly eleven. You should get onto the train." She began shepherding them towards the Hogwarts Express. "Arthur!" she called back to her husband. "Arthur, what are you doing? It's about to go!"

Ron hopped up onto the train, followed by Hermione, Ginny, Fred, and George. Lucy hesitated, looking back at Mr. Weasley and Harry.

"Lucy, onto the train, please," Mrs. Weasley said as a whistle sounded.

The train doors were being shut, so Lucy scurried onboard. The door shut firmly behind her.

"Arthur, quickly!" Mrs. Weasley cried.

The train jerked forward, and Harry ran up to the door. Ron threw it open, and Harry jumped up into the train. Ron shut the door again, and they all leaned out of the windows to wave back at Mr. and Mrs. Weasley.

"That was a bit of a close call," Lucy said, smiling at Harry.

He didn't smile back. "I need to talk to you in private," he said to Lucy, Ron, and Hermione.

Fred and George had already left to join their friends, but Ginny was still standing with them.

"Go away, Ginny," Ron said bluntly.

"Oh, that's nice," Ginny replied, before stomping away.

Lucy frowned disapprovingly at Ron.

"Come on, let's go back to our compartment," Harry said, walking down the corridor.

Unfortunately, when they reached the compartment they had put their trunks in, they found that it already had another occupant. It was a man—an adult—something that the four of them had never seen before. He seemed to be fast asleep.

"Who d'you reckon he is?" Ron asked quietly as they entered.

"Professor R. J. Lupin," Hermione replied.

"How d'you know that?" Ron shot back.

"It's on his case," Hermione answered, pointing at the suitcase in the rack above the man's head, and Lucy giggled as Ron's ears turned pink.

"Wonder what he teaches?" Ron said.

"That's obvious," Hermione murmured. "There's only one vacancy, isn't there? Defense Against the Dark Arts."

"As far as we know," Lucy said as she opened Evie's cat carrier. "Maybe Dumbledore fired Snape over the summer."

The other three sniggered. Meanwhile, Evie had stepped languidly out of her carrier, stretching on Lucy's lap.

"Well, I hope he's up to it," Ron quipped. "He looks like one good hex would finish him off, doesn't he? Anyway…" He turned his attention back to Harry and prompted, "What were you going to tell us?"

Harry told them of how he had overheard Sue and Mr. and Mrs. Weasley talking the night before in the bar. He told them that Mr. Weasley believed that Sirius Black was after Harry, and that Dumbledore was going to have the Azkaban guards stationed around the castle grounds to make sure that Black stayed out. Then he finished by telling them that Mr. Weasley made him swear that he wouldn't go after Black himself.

"Sirius Black escaped to come after _you_?" Hermione whispered, looking horrified. "Oh, Harry—you'll have to be really, _really_ careful. Don't go looking for trouble, Harry—"

"I don't go _looking_ _for_ _trouble_," Harry said impatiently. "Trouble usually finds _me_."

"How thick would Harry have to be, to go looking for a nutter who wants to kill him?" Ron asked with a shaky voice. He took a breath and continued, "No one knows how he got out of Azkaban. No one's ever done it before. He was a top-security prisoner, too."

"But they'll catch him, won't they?" Hermione pressed. "I mean, they've got all the Muggles looking out for him, too—"

"What's that noise?" Lucy interrupted, her eyes squinting as she concentrated on the high-pitched whistling she could hear.

Ron stood up and listened to the luggage above their heads. "It's coming from your trunk, Harry," he reported, reaching into Harry's luggage. A moment later, he had extracted what looked like a small spinning top, made entirely out of glass. He held out his hand, where the item spun and glowed.

"Is that a _Sneakoscope_?" Hermione asked, standing up to take a closer look at the item in Ron's hand.

"Yeah.… Mind you, it's a very cheap one," Ron answered. "It went haywire just as I was tying it to Errol's leg to send it to Harry."

"Were you doing anything untrustworthy at the time?" Hermione questioned slyly.

"No!" Ron insisted. "Well—I wasn't supposed to be using Errol. You know he's not really up to long journeys… but how else was I supposed to get Harry's present to him?"

"Stick it back in the trunk, or it'll wake him up," Harry suggested.

Ron pulled out a sock from Harry's trunk and put the Sneakoscope inside it before stuffing it back into the trunk.

"I can't hear it anymore," Lucy said. "Anyone else?"

The other three shook their heads.

"We could get it checked in Hogsmeade," Ron said as he returned to his seat. "They sell that sort of thing in Dervish and Banges, magical instruments and stuff. Fred and George told me."

"Do you know much about Hogsmeade?" Hermione asked, intrigued. "I've read it's the only entirely non-Muggle settlement in Britain—"

"Yeah, I think it is," Ron replied, "but that's not why I want to go. I just want to get inside Honeydukes!"

"What's that?" Lucy asked.

"It's this sweet shop where they've got _everything_," Ron answered. "Pepper Imps—they make you smoke at the mouth—and great fat Chocoballs full of strawberry mousse and clotted cream. And there're really excellent sugar quills, which you can suck in class and just look like you're thinking what to write next—"

"But Hogsmeade's a very interesting place, isn't it?" Hermione added excitedly. "In _Sites of Historical Sorcery,_ it says the inn was the headquarters for the 1612 goblin rebellion, and the Shrieking Shack's supposed to be the most severely haunted building in Britain—"

"—and massive sherbet balls that make you levitate a few inches off the ground while you're sucking them," Ron said, not paying attention to what Hermione was saying.

"Won't it be nice to get out of school for a bit and explore Hogsmeade?" Lucy asked, turning to Harry.

"'Spect it will," he said. "You'll have to tell me when you've found out."

"What d'you mean?" Lucy and Ron demanded at the same time.

"I can't go," Harry explained. "The Dursleys didn't sign my permission form, and Fudge wouldn't, either."

"_You're not allowed to come_?" Ron practically shouted, and Lucy hushed him, glancing at the sleeping man. "But—no way…" Ron continued in a quieter voice. "McGonagall or someone will give you permission.…" Harry laughed darkly at that, and Ron suggested, "We can ask Fred and George. They know every secret passage out of the castle—"

"Ron!" Hermione gasped. "I don't think Harry should be sneaking out of school with Black on the loose!"

"Yeah, I expect that's what McGonagall will say when I ask for permission," Harry said.

Ron reasoned, "But if _we're_ with him, Black wouldn't _dare_—"

"Oh, Ron, don't talk rubbish," Hermione said loftily. "Black's already murdered a whole bunch of people in the middle of a crowded street. Do you really think he's going to worry about attacking Harry just because _we're_ there?" She began to undo the straps on Crookshanks's basket, which she'd been holding on her lap.

"Don't let that thing out!" Ron snapped, but Hermione had already opened the basket.

Crookshanks stood up and stretched out. He jumped out of the basket and landed in Ron's lap, who immediately shoved him away.

"Get out of here!" he growled.

"Ron, don't!" Hermione said back.

Before anyone else could say anything, Professor Lupin shifted in his seat. The four of them froze, but the man did not wake.

**~LJ:C~**

A few hours into their trip, the food trolley came around. Harry hopped up and bought Lucy a handful of Chocolate Frogs and a few bags of Bertie Botts Beans. He also got some Cauldron Cakes to share between the four of them. Lucy smiled in thanks as he dumped the pile of candy into her lap.

"Happy belated birthday," he said with satisfaction.

"Thanks, Harry," Lucy replied. She tore open a Chocolate Frog and bit into it.

"D'you think we should wake him up?" Ron asked, motioning towards Professor Lupin. "He looks like he could do with some food."

"Er—Professor?" Hermione called. "Excuse me—Professor?"

The man didn't budge.

"Don't worry, dear," the trolley witch said. "If he's hungry when he wakes, I'll be up front with the driver."

"I suppose he _is_ asleep?" Ron said after the trolley witch moved away from their compartment door. "I mean—he hasn't _died_, has he?"

"No, no. He's breathing," Lucy reassured him, pointing out the professor's rising and falling chest.

**~LJ:C~**

A few more hours passed, and just as rain began to fall outside the train's windows, Draco Malfoy and his friends—two Slytherin boys named Gregory Goyle and Vincent Crabbe—showed up at their compartment door.

"Well, look who it is," Malfoy began smugly. "Potty and the Weasel."

Crabbe and Goyle guffawed, and Lucy rolled her eyes.

Malfoy went on, "I heard your father finally got his hands on some gold this summer, Weasley. Did your mother die of shock?"

Ron leapt to his feet, knocking Crookshanks's basket to the floor. The noise caused Professor Lupin to shift in his sleep, and the movement caught Malfoy's attention.

"Who's that?" Malfoy asked suspiciously.

"New teacher," Harry replied, rising to stand by Ron. "What were you saying, Malfoy?"

Malfoy stared at the professor, calculating whether he wanted to start trouble or not. Finally, he muttered to Crabbe and Goyle, "C'mon." The three of them sauntered away.

Harry and Ron sat back down in their seats.

"I'm not going to take any crap from Malfoy this year," Ron grumbled. "I mean it. If he makes one more crack about my family, I'm going to get hold of his head and—" He made a violent gesture in the air to an imaginary head.

"Ron, be _careful…_" Hermione whispered, looking worriedly at Professor Lupin, but he still didn't wake up.

**~LJ:C~**

As the train continued north, the rain pounded harder against the windows. The sky was dark as night, and Ron was beginning to get impatient.

"We must be nearly there now," he said. He looked out the window, but it was so dark out that it was impossible to see anything.

As soon as he'd spoken, they felt the train begin to slow down.

"Great," Ron continued. "I'm starving. I want to get to the feast—"

"We can't be there yet," Hermione said, glancing at her watch.

"So why are we stopping?" Lucy asked, confused.

The train continued to slow down, and Harry got up from his seat to look out of the compartment door. Suddenly, the train jolted to a halt, and the lamps went out. It was completely dark in the compartment.

"What's going on?" Ron's voice came from somewhere in the darkness.

"Ouch!" Hermione cried. "Ron, that was my foot!"

Lucy could hear Harry feeling his way along the compartment to find his seat again.

"D'you think we've broken down?" he asked.

"Dunno…" Ron replied. Lucy heard a noise and looked over to see Ron wiping the window to look outside. "There's something moving out there.… I think people are coming aboard," he reported.

Lucy turned when she heard their compartment door open. Harry hissed in pain as someone tripped over his legs.

"Sorry—d'you know what's going on? Ouch—sorry—" It was Neville Longbottom, their fellow third-year Gryffindor.

"Hullo, Neville," Harry greeted.

"Harry? Is that you? What's happening?" Neville asked, sounding nervous.

"No idea," Harry answered. "Sit down—"

Neville attempted to sit next to Harry and ended up almost sitting on Crookshanks. Crookshanks leapt up and landed on Lucy's lap, and Neville was able to sit down between Harry and Ron.

"I'm going to go and ask the driver what's going on," Hermione announced, standing up and moving towards the compartment door.

It slid open again, and then there were two yelps of pain as Hermione ran into someone.

"Who's that?" Hermione asked.

"Who's _that_?" the other person shot back.

"Ginny?" Hermione asked.

"Hermione?" Ginny replied, sounding a bit relieved.

"What are you doing?" Hermione asked.

"I was looking for Ron—"

"Come in and sit down," Hermione invited.

There were some scuffling noises.

"Not here!" Harry cried out. "_I'm_ here!"

Lucy reached up and grabbed Ginny's arm, pulling her into the seat next to her.

"Ouch!" Neville said.

"Quiet!" a new voice hissed.

The six students froze, not saying a word. There was a crackling sound, and a small but bright light appeared in the corner where Professor Lupin had been sitting.

The man was now on his feet, and the light was coming from a small flame that he was holding in one hand. "Stay where you are," he commanded them, and Lucy felt Hermione sink back into her seat next to Ginny.

Before Professor Lupin could reach the door, however, it slid open. They all turned to see a large cloaked figure standing in the corridor. The figure made a sound like it was sucking in a breath, and the entire compartment was doused in cold. Lucy could feel Ginny trembling next to her.

In the seat across from Hermione, Harry went stiff and fell onto the floor. Lucy wanted to help him, but whatever that creature was doing made her unable to move. She felt unhappy—so unhappy. It was as though she was experiencing all her saddest, distressing memories over again. Ginny let out a whimper from next to her, but Lucy couldn't turn to look at the younger girl.

Lupin stepped forward, his wand out and aimed at the creature. "None of us are hiding Sirius Black under our cloaks," he said firmly. "Go."

The creature didn't move, and Lucy wasn't sure that it even understood what the professor had told it. So, Lupin raised his wand and muttered something. A silvery vapor emitted from his wand, and the creature floated—_retreated_—away from the compartment door.

Everyone seemed frozen to their seats for the next few moments until the lights came back on. The train jerked back into motion, and Hermione shakily dropped to the floor and began lightly slapping Harry's face. Lucy put her arm around Ginny, who was still very pale and shaky.

"Harry!" Hermione called as Harry began to come to. "Harry! Are you all right?"

"Wh-what?" Harry mumbled as he opened his eyes.

Ron and Hermione helped him back up into his seat.

"Are you okay?" Ron asked, looking very concerned.

"Yeah," Harry said. He glanced towards the door, and then looked back at the others. "What happened? Where's that—that thing? Who screamed?"

Ron and Hermione exchanged a bewildered look.

"No one screamed," Ron answered.

"I heard screaming…" Harry insisted, looking between his friends.

Then there was a loud snapping sound which made all the students jump. They turned to see Lupin breaking a large chocolate bar into smaller pieces.

"Here," he said, offering Harry a chunk. "Eat this. It'll help."

Harry took the chocolate but continued to stare at Lupin. "What was that thing?" Harry asked him.

"A dementor," Lupin replied. He handed out pieces of chocolate to the rest of the compartment. "One of the dementors of Azkaban."

Everyone stared at him, not eating their chocolate.

"Eat. It'll help," Lupin insisted. "I need to speak to the driver. Excuse me.…" With that, he left the compartment.

Lucy looked down at the chocolate in her hand, but she still felt shocked at what had just happened. Ignoring the candy, she turned her attention back to Harry.

"Are you sure you're okay, Harry?" Hermione asked.

"I don't get it…" Harry said. "What happened?"

Hermione started shakily, "Well—that thing—the dementor—stood there and looked around—I mean, I think it did—I couldn't see its face—and you—you—"

"I thought you were having a fit or something," Ron cut in. "You went sort of rigid, fell out of your seat, and started twitching—"

"Then Professor Lupin stepped over you, walked toward the dementor, and pulled out his wand," Hermione continued, her voice a bit stronger now. "He said, _none of us are hiding Sirius Black under our cloaks. Go._"

"The dementor didn't move, though," Lucy said, "so Lupin muttered something, and a silvery thing shot out of his wand at it. It turned around and sort of glided away.…"

"It was horrible," Neville chimed in. "Did you feel how cold it got when it came in?"

"I felt weird," Ron added, nodding. "Like I'd never be cheerful again.…"

Ginny let out a sob, and Lucy tightened her arm around her shoulders.

"But didn't any of you—fall out of your seats?" Harry asked, looking slightly embarrassed.

"No," Ron answered.

"Ginny didn't take it very well, though," Lucy added quietly, rubbing Ginny's arm with her hand.

The compartment door slid open, and they all jumped at the noise. It was only Lupin returning from the conductor.

He looked at Harry and his uneaten chocolate. "I haven't poisoned that chocolate, you know," he informed him. He looked around to see that nobody else had eaten theirs, either. His eyes widened a little when his gaze landed on Lucy, but he looked away a moment later. "We'll be at Hogwarts in ten minutes," he informed them. He turned his gaze to Harry, who had finally taken a bite out of the chocolate. "Are you all right, Harry?"

"Fine," Harry mumbled.

"Eat up, eat up," Lupin insisted, looking around at the others in the compartment. "You too, Lucy."

Lucy turned abruptly to look at him. _How does he know my name?_ she wondered before taking a bite. Warmth immediately spread through her body, and she did indeed feel better after she swallowed it. Lupin, meanwhile, nodded at her. There was a guilty look on his face. Lucy was puzzled at the new professor's expression, but she brushed it off as she continued to eat her chocolate.

**~LJ:C~**

The next ten minutes passed slowly and silently. Finally, the train shuddered to a stop at Hogsmeade station, and Lucy followed Harry, Ron, and Hermione out onto the platform. The rain was freezing, drenching them immediately. Up ahead, they could hear Hagrid calling for the first-years.

"All righ', you four?" Hagrid shouted, waving to Lucy and her friends when they neared him.

The four of them waved back and then joined the line of students waiting to get into the horseless carriages. When they got to the front of the line, they got into an empty carriage together and started the short journey up to the castle.

They soon reached their destination, and they jumped down from the carriage and walked towards the front door. A sudden voice from behind them caused Harry to stop.

"You _fainted_ Potter?" Malfoy gleefully drawled. "Is Longbottom telling the truth? You actually _fainted_?" He pushed past Lucy and Hermione to stand in front of Harry.

"Shove off, Malfoy," Ron growled.

"Did you faint, as well, Weasley?" Malfoy continued, looking as though his birthday had come early. "Did the scary old dementor frighten you, too?"

Lucy opened her mouth to retort but was cut off.

"Is there a problem?" Lupin had just exited a carriage and was standing behind them.

Malfoy glared at the professor. "Oh, no—er—_Professor_," he said, smirking. Then he turned and stomped up the stairs to the castle doors, Crabbe and Goyle following closely.

"C'mon," Hermione said, prodding Ron in the back.

The four of them continued towards the castle and entered the front doors. They were walking carefully across the entrance hall when Professor Minerva McGonagall's voice called out to them, "Potter! Granger! I want to see you both!" Hermione and Harry turned around in surprise, and Lucy and Ron exchanged a glance.

"There's no need to look so worried," Professor McGonagall said when she got close. "I just want a word in my office. Move along there, Weasley, Jones."

Lucy and Ron stared after Hermione and Harry as Professor McGonagall led them away.

"Come on, then," Lucy said after a few seconds. "We should get inside so we can save them seats."

Ron nodded, and they entered the Great Hall. They went to the Gryffindor table, and Lucy plopped down next to the Weasley twins.

Ron sat across from her. "I'm starving," he complained immediately, staring in longing at the empty dishes on the table.

"We just have to wait for the sorting, Ron," Lucy chuckled. "You're so impatient sometimes."

A few minutes later, Professor Dumbledore stood and said, "The sorting will begin in a few moments. Please take your seats."

The chattering died away as the students turned their heads towards the Great Hall doors as they opened. The new first-years marched towards the head table. They were following Professor Flitwick this year, since Professor McGonagall was in her office talking to Harry and Hermione.

When the group of new students reached the front of the hall, Professor Flitwick set the stool down in front of the staff table and placed the old Sorting Hat on top of it. There was a moment of silence before the rip at the brim of the hat opened, and it began to sing its song for the year.

"It's a different song," Ron hissed across the table to Lucy.

She looked at him in confusion for a moment before she remembered. "Oh, right, you and Harry missed it last year," she whispered. "Yeah, the song is different. How boring would that be if you heard the same song seven years in a row?"

When the hat had finished singing, Professor Flitwick stood in front of the first-years with a roll of parchment. "When I call your name, you will come forward," he explained in his high, squeaky voice. "You will sit on the stool and place the hat on your head." Then he began to call the names.

When the sorting had reached the surnames beginning with _P_, Ron moaned, "Why are there so many of them?"

"You really need to learn some patience, Ron," Lucy said as they applauded for Skye Plummer becoming a Gryffindor. "There really aren't that many of them."

Finally, the sorting came to an end. Professor Flitwick rolled up the parchment, picked up the hat and the stool, and took it from the Great Hall.

Lucy looked up as Hermione sat down next to her. Harry sat next to Ron.

"What was that all about?" Ron asked them, looking curious.

Before either of them could answer, Professor Dumbledore stood up.

"Welcome!" he announced, beaming around at all the students. "Welcome to another year at Hogwarts! I have something to say to you all, and as it is very serious, I think it best to get it out of the way before you become befuddled by our excellent feast.…

"As you will all be aware after their search of the Hogwarts Express, our school is presently playing host to some of the dementors of Azkaban, who are here on Ministry of Magic business," Dumbledore stated. He paused for a moment to let this information sink in before continuing, "They are stationed at every entrance to the grounds, and while they are with us, I must make it plain that nobody is to leave school without permission. Dementors are not to be fooled by tricks or disguises—or even Invisibility Cloaks."

Lucy glanced across the table at Ron and Harry.

"It is not in the nature of a dementor to understand pleading or excuses," Dumbledore went on. "I therefore warn each and every one of you to give them no reason to harm you. I look to the prefects—and our new Head Boy and Girl—to make sure that no student runs afoul of the dementors."

There was uneasy silence around the hall as students remembered the dementors on the train.

"Now that the important announcement is out of the way," Dumbledore said, smiling once again, "let the feast begin!"

The plates on the tables magically filled themselves, earning loud gasps of surprise from some of the first-years. Everything about the feast was wonderful, as usual. Lucy and her friends ate until they could eat no more.

**~LJ:C~**

When the last of the desserts had been cleared away, Dumbledore stood once again.

"I have just a few more announcements before you all head off to bed," he said. "First, as always, the dark forest on the grounds is forbidden to all students, as is the village of Hogsmeade for those who do not have permission to visit. Our caretaker, Mr. Filch, has asked me to remind you that magic is not to be used in the corridors between classes. There is also a full list of banned items attached to his office door, in case you are wondering what objects are not allowed in the castle.

"I am also pleased to welcome three new teachers to our ranks this year," he continued. "First, Professor Lupin, who has kindly consented to fill the post of Defense Against the Dark Arts teacher."

Lucy and the others who were in their compartment clapped and cheered loudly for him.

"Look at Snape!" Ron whispered, and Lucy glanced at Snape to see a look of pure hatred on his face as he glared at Lupin.

"Our second new professor is Professor Burbage, who will be taking over the Muggle Studies classes," Dumbledore said.

A witch towards the end of the staff table stood up from her seat, and there was scattered, polite applause for her.

"As to our third new appointment," Dumbledore said, calling the attention back to him. "Well, I am sorry to tell you that Professor Kettleburn, our Care of Magical Creatures teacher, retired at the end of last year in order to enjoy more time with his remaining limbs." Lucy grimaced at that visual image as Dumbledore went on, "However, I am delighted to say that his place will be filled by none other than Rubeus Hagrid, who has agreed to take on this teaching job in addition to his gamekeeping duties."

There was a much louder applause for Hagrid, mostly coming from the Gryffindor table.

"We should've known!" Ron said. "Who else would have assigned us a biting book?"

Lucy, Harry, Hermione, and Ron were the last ones to stop clapping for Hagrid after Dumbledore had to give them a kind look.

"Well, I think that's everything of importance," Dumbledore finished. "Now, off to bed you all go! I'm sure you all want to be well-rested for your lessons tomorrow."

Many of the other students stood and started for their house dormitories. Lucy, Ron, Harry, and Hermione, on the other hand, jumped up and pushed their way towards the staff table to talk to Hagrid.

"Congratulations, Hagrid!" Hermione called when they finally got near him.

"All down ter you four," Hagrid said. "Can' believe it… great man, Dumbledore… came straight down ter me hut after Professor Kettleburn said he'd had enough.… It's wha' I always wanted.…" Starting to get overemotional, Hagrid brought his napkin to his face.

Professor McGonagall stepped in then. "It's time for you all to get back to your common room," she said with a faint smile.

The four of them bid the professors good night and joined the group of students streaming from the Great Hall. They climbed up multiple flights of stairs, beginning to feel sleepy from their full stomachs.

When they reached the portrait of the Fat Lady, they found a large group of Gryffindors assembled, waiting for a prefect or Percy to give them the password. They didn't have to wait long.

"Coming through! Coming through!" Percy yelled over their heads, pushing through the crowd. "The new password's Fortuna Major!"

The Fat Lady's portrait swung forward, and the Gryffindors piled into the common room. Most people went directly to the stairs to go to their dormitories. Lucy and Hermione bid Harry and Ron good night and ascended the girls' staircase.

"It's nice being back," Hermione said as she and Lucy reached the top of the stairs. The door to their dormitory held a small sign that now said _Third Year_.

"It's good to be home," Lucy agreed with a smile.

**~LJ:C~**

* * *

_**A/N: I'm not 100% happy with the way I describe how the dementor feels from Lucy's point of view. Oh, well.**_

_**I know that in the book, Dumbledore announces Lupin's and Hagrid's appointments after he talks about the dementors and before the feast. I didn't like it, because usually Dumbledore saves his proper speech for after they all eat. So, I kept his warning about the dementors before the feast, and then moved the other announcements to after.**_

_**Also, I added one more new professor announcement (Professor Burbage). According to the Harry Potter Wiki, there was a mention of a male Muggle Studies teacher in the video game of Harry Potter and the Chamber of Secrets (the Game Boy Color version). I'm not sure if this is completely canonical, but I went with it anyway.**_

_**SO... how does Lupin know Lucy's name? Wink.**_


	5. 5: New Classes

_**Disclaimer: Harry Potter is not mine.**_

* * *

**Chapter 5 – New Classes**

The next morning, Lucy and Hermione met Harry and Ron in the common room, and they all went down to the Great Hall together. When they entered the hall, they saw Malfoy over at the Slytherin table perform a very dramatic reenactment of someone fainting.

"Ignore him," Hermione said to Harry. "Just ignore him. It's not worth it—"

"Hey, Potter!" Pansy Parkinson, a Slytherin third-year and one of Malfoy's friends, screeched across the hall. "Potter! The dementors are coming, Potter! _Woooo!_"

The group of Slytherins with Malfoy and Pansy started laughing loudly.

Harry sat down at the Gryffindor table next to George. Hermione sat next to him, and Lucy and Ron took spots on the other side of the table.

"What's up with you, Harry?" George asked.

"Malfoy," Ron replied scathingly.

George looked over his shoulder at the Slytherin table, watching Malfoy pretend to faint again. "That little git," George said, shaking his head. "He wasn't so cocky last night when the dementors were down at our end of the train. Came running into our compartment, didn't he, Fred?"

Fred, who was sitting across from his twin, rolled his eyes. "Nearly wet himself," he scoffed.

"I wasn't too happy, myself," George admitted. "They're horrible things, those dementors.…"

"Sort of freeze your insides, don't they?" Fred added.

"You didn't pass out, though, did you?" Harry asked.

"Forget it, Harry," George replied firmly. "Dad had to go out to Azkaban one time, remember, Fred? He said it was the worst place he'd ever been. He came back all weak and shaking.… They suck the happiness out of that place, dementors. Most of the prisoners go mad in there."

"Anyway, we'll see how happy Malfoy looks after our first Quidditch match," Fred continued, smirking. "Gryffindor versus Slytherin, first game of the season, remember?"

"That ought to be an interesting match," a voice said from behind Lucy and Ron.

Lucy turned to see Jeremy Whitlock standing there, grinning. "Jeremy!" she exclaimed, jumping out of her seat and throwing her arms around him.

She felt a swooping sensation in her gut as she pulled away and grinned at him. He seemed taller than he had the previous spring, and his light brown hair was definitely a bit longer.

"Happy start of term to you, too," he said, chuckling. Then he waved at the others and said, "Hey, everyone."

"Hi, Jeremy," they greeted him.

Lucy gestured to the seat next to hers, and they both sat down. "So, how was your summer?" she asked him.

"Extremely boring," he replied. "A lot of avoiding of my mother and cousins."

Professor McGonagall came down the table at that moment, passing out the new third-year class schedules. Lucy, Harry, Ron, and Hermione all took their time tables from the professor, and she moved off to give the fourth-years their schedules.

"Ooh, good—we're starting some new subjects today," Hermione said, reading her lesson times.

"Let me see yours," Ron said, swiping the parchment out of Hermione's hands. "They've messed up your schedule," he observed after looking it over. "Look—they've got you down for about ten subjects a day. There isn't enough _time_."

"I'll manage," Hermione replied loftily. "I've fixed it all with Professor McGonagall."

"Hermione, look," Ron insisted. "See this morning? Nine o'clock, Divination. Next, nine o'clock, Muggle Studies. And—_look_—underneath that—Ancient Runes, _nine o'clock_. I mean, I know you're good, Hermione, but no one's _that_ good. How're you supposed to be in three classes at once?"

"Don't be silly," Hermione said. "Of course I won't be in three classes at once."

"Well, then—"

"Pass the marmalade," Hermione interrupted.

"But—"

"Oh, Ron, what's it to you if my schedule's a bit full?" Hermione asked, losing her temper. "I told you, I've fixed it all with Professor McGonagall."

Lucy exchanged a glance with Harry, and Harry shrugged.

Just then Hagrid entered the Great Hall and was making his way to the staff table when he paused to beam down at the Gryffindors. "All righ'?" he asked cheerfully. "Yer in my firs' ever lesson! Righ' after lunch! Bin up since five gettin' everythin' ready.… Hope it's okay.… Me, a teacher… hones'ly.…" Then he continued towards the staff table.

"Wonder what he's been getting ready," Ron said.

Students around them were starting to file out of the Great Hall on their way to their first classes.

"We'd better get going," Ron continued. "Look, Divination's at the top of the North Tower."

"Have fun in Divination," Lucy said. "I'm off to Muggle Studies. But, Hermione… aren't you in Muggle Studies, too?"

"Don't worry about it," Hermione replied. "I'll see you there." She stood up with Harry and Ron.

"Okay, if you say so…" Lucy said, confused as to how Hermione planned to be in Muggle Studies if she was going to Divination, too. "I'll see you boys in Transfiguration, then."

Harry, Ron, and Hermione said their good-byes and left to find their Divination classroom.

Lucy turned to Jeremy and said, "I suppose we better get going to our classes, too. What do you have this morning?"

"Charms," Jeremy said, pulling his schedule out. "I don't have any new subjects until after lunch. Care of Magical Creatures."

"Hey, I'm in that class, too," Lucy said, looking over the parchment in his hands. "Looks like the Gryffindors and Slytherins are together again for that."

"You know, for as much animosity as there is between our houses," Jeremy started as he and Lucy got up from the table, "they sure like to stick us in the same classes."

**~LJ:C~**

Lucy and Jeremy left the Great Hall together and climbed the marble stairs. They parted ways at the third floor, where the Charms classroom was located, and Lucy went up one more flight of stairs. She had just reached the door to the Muggle Studies classroom when Hermione caught up to her, calling her name.

"Hermione?" Lucy said blankly. "I thought you were going to Divination."

"I told you I'd see you in class, didn't I?" Hermione replied, not answering Lucy's question.

Lucy, though still very confused, decided to leave the matter alone. She and Hermione entered the classroom and sat at a table in the second row. They found out that they were in the class with some Hufflepuffs, as well. Ernie Macmillan and Hannah Abbott said hello to Lucy and Hermione before taking a seat at the table in front of them.

"Lucy! Hermione!" Sally-Anne called.

Lucy turned to see her friend hurrying towards them.

Sally-Anne dropped her bag onto the table next to theirs and slid into the seat closest to Lucy. "Are you excited to be starting a new class this morning?" Sally-Anne asked, looking eager herself.

"Yes," Hermione replied. "I can't wait to learn about Muggles from a Wizarding perspective."

"I kind of feel the same way," Sally-Anne said. "My dad is a Muggle, actually."

The rest of the class had taken their seats, and the professor entered the classroom. She was a middle-aged, dirty blonde witch who looked very cheerful.

"Good morning, students," she started, smiling at the class. "My name is Professor Burbage. Muggle Studies is a class that is here to help you learn about Muggles and how they live without magic. A lot of the first term may be rather boring, as we will be discussing a lot of the history between the magical and Muggle worlds, but next term we will start talking about things that Muggles use to get by without magic. Are there any questions so far?"

There were no questions, so Professor Burbage began her lecture of the day while the class took notes.

At the end of the lesson, Professor Burbage held up a bag of Muggle candy.

"This is a little something I plan to do at the end of every class," she explained. "I will either give out Muggle food, or I will hand out some small Muggle trinkets. When I hand out a trinket, it will be your responsibility to interact with it and be prepared for a short discussion about it in the next class. However, if I'm passing out food, you may eat it whenever you wish."

She smiled around at the class again and then dismissed them. Every student grabbed a piece of candy from her bag as they left the classroom.

**~LJ:C~**

"Well, that was more enjoyable than I thought it would be, considering it was mostly a history lesson," Lucy said, walking between Hermione and Sally-Anne.

"I agree," Hermione said. "I'm really looking forward to that class, actually. Now, if you'll excuse me, I need to use the toilet."

"Do you want us to wait for you?" Lucy asked, puzzled at Hermione's urgency.

"No, no—you go on ahead," she replied. "I'll catch you up in a bit."

Lucy nodded her head, and Hermione hurried off.

"What was that all about?" Sally-Anne asked.

"No idea," Lucy answered. "I suppose we'd better get to Transfiguration."

"So, are you ready for Care of Magical Creatures this afternoon?" Sally-Anne questioned as they continued down the corridor. "I really hope that Hagrid will be a good teacher."

"Well, he definitely loves magical creatures," Lucy said, thinking about all the creatures that she had met because of the gamekeeper.

**~LJ:C~**

A few minutes later, they made it to the Transfiguration classroom. They were surprised to see that they were the only ones who were there.

"Where is everyone?" Sally-Anne asked, looking confused. She and Lucy took a seat at the tables in the front row.

Just a few minutes before class was supposed to begin, the rest of the Gryffindors entered the room. Hermione walked in with Harry and Ron, and she slid into the seat next to Lucy.

"Are you okay?" Lucy asked.

"Of course," Hermione replied. "Why do you ask?"

"You said you had to go to the bathroom, and then you barely made it to class on time," Lucy answered. "I was just wondering if you were feeling sick or something."

"No, I'm fine," Hermione said.

Lucy frowned but decided to leave it alone again. Instead, she looked around and saw Harry and Ron sitting at a table two rows behind. Then she noticed that some of the other Gryffindors kept glancing back at Harry.

"Good morning," Professor McGonagall greeted them, entering the classroom and walking swiftly to the front. "We are going to be talking about Animagi today. An Animagus is a witch or wizard who can turn herself or himself at will into an animal of their choosing. It takes a lot of hard work and concentration, and many years of study to become an Animagus. Luckily for you all, I am a registered Animagus."

She then transformed before their eyes into a gray tabby cat. Lucy and Sally-Anne let out gasps of awe, but they were the only ones who did.

Professor McGonagall transformed back and looked around at them quizzically, and then she asked, "Really, what has gotten into you all today? Not that it matters, but that's the first time my transformation's not got applause from a class."

There was a pause before Hermione raised her hand. "Please, Professor, we've just had our first Divination class," she explained.

Lucy stared at her, as confused as ever. Hermione had been in Muggle Studies that morning with her; _how could she have just been in Divination?_

Hermione went on, "We were reading the tea leaves, and—"

"Ah, of course," Professor McGonagall said, nodding. "There is no need to say any more, Miss Granger. Tell me, which of you will be dying this year?"

Nobody said anything, and Lucy looked around at her fellow Gryffindors.

"Me," Harry finally called from the back row.

Lucy almost laughed; of _course,_ it had been Harry.

"I see," Professor McGonagall said. "Then you should know, Potter, that Sibyll Trelawney has predicted the death of one student a year since she arrived at this school, and none of them has died yet. Seeing death omens is her favorite way of greeting a new class. If it were not for the fact that I never speak ill of my colleagues—"

She had to stop and take a moment to recompose herself before continuing, "Divination is one of the most imprecise branches of magic. I shall not conceal from you that I have very little patience with it. True Seers are very rare, and Professor Trelawney—"

She stopped again, took a breath, and finished, "You look in excellent health to me, Potter, so you will excuse me if I don't let you off homework today. I assure you that if you die, you need not hand it in."

Lucy, Hermione, and Sally-Anne laughed, but they were the only ones who did. The rest of the Gryffindors still looked nervous.

**~LJ:C~**

After Transfiguration, the third-years made their way down to the Great Hall for lunch. Once they had reached the Gryffindor table and sat down, Lucy took her chance to find out what was going on.

"Okay, what the in the _world_ happened in Divination class?" she asked, looking pointedly at Harry.

Harry sighed and recounted the story of Professor Trelawney seeing a Grim in his tea leaves.

"You know, I wouldn't worry too much about it, Harry," Lucy said when he was finished. "From what McGonagall was saying, it's very imprecise. Finding signs in tea leaves is like… finding shapes in the clouds. If you _want_ to see something, you can easily make yourself see it."

"What do you mean?" Harry asked, frowning.

"Well, Ron said he saw—what?—a sheep in your cup?" Lucy started, glancing over at Ron, who nodded his confirmation. "Well, then, Professor Trelawney came around and said, _Oh, no, that's not a sheep. That's the Grim!_ So, when you looked into the cup, that's what you saw, too. Professor Trelawney put the image of the Grim in your head, so that's what you saw when you looked in the cup."

Harry furrowed his brow in thought, but Ron looked completely unconvinced.

"Ron, cheer up," Hermione added. "You heard what Professor McGonagall said."

"Harry," Ron said quietly, "you _haven't_ seen a great black dog anywhere, have you?"

"Yeah, I have," Harry answered. "I saw one the night I left the Dursleys."

Ron dropped his fork.

"Probably a stray," Hermione reasoned, and Lucy nodded in agreement.

"Hermione, if Harry's seen a Grim, that's—that's bad," Ron tried to explain. "My—my uncle Bilius saw one, and—and he died twenty-four hours later!"

"That was probably just a coincidence," Lucy said, shaking her head.

"You don't know what you're talking about!" Ron snapped, looking back and forth between Lucy and Hermione. "Grims scare the living daylight out of most wizards!"

"There you are, then," Hermione said. "They see the Grim and die of fright. The Grim's not an omen; it's the cause of death! Harry's still with us, because he's not stupid enough to see one and think, _right, well, I'd better kick the bucket then_!"

Lucy snorted. Ron simply stared at Hermione, who took the silence to take her Ancient Runes book out of her bag.

"I think Divination seems very woolly," she stated a moment later. "A lot of guesswork, if you ask me."

"There was nothing woolly about the Grim in that cup!" Ron shot back.

"You didn't seem so confident when you were telling Harry it was a sheep," Hermione replied.

"Professor Trelawney said you didn't have the right aura!" Ron said, and Hermione simply shook her head and started reading her book. Ron, not wanting to lose the argument, added, _"You_ just don't like being _bad_ at something for a change!"

Hermione slammed her book on the table, causing those around them to jump in surprise. "If being good at Divination means I have to pretend to see death omens in a lump of tea leaves, I'm not sure I'll be studying it much longer!" she shouted. "That lesson was absolute _rubbish_ compared with my Ancient Runes class!" She jumped up and stomped away.

"What is she talking about?" Ron asked, watching her as she picked an empty seat at a different section of the table. "She hasn't _been_ to an Ancient Runes class yet."

Lucy rolled her eyes and said, "I'll go make sure she's all right. See you two later. Don't think about this Grim thing too much, okay, Harry?" Harry nodded, and Lucy stood up. She slung her bag over her shoulder and moved down the table to where Hermione was now sitting.

"Ron is completely illogical!" Hermione fumed as Lucy sat down across from her.

"I know," Lucy said, pouring some pumpkin juice into the cup in front of her, although she was agreeing mostly to placate her friend. Lucy knew Ron had grown up in the Wizarding world and therefore with the Grim superstition; it was going to take more than her and Hermione to convince him that maybe the Grim wasn't as scary as he thought.

Lucy decided to change the subject. "Sounds like you three have had an interesting morning, though—especially you. Tell me, how did you manage to be in Divination when you were in Muggle Studies with me? And apparently, you've been to Ancient Runes, as well?"

Hermione avoided Lucy's gaze and mumbled, "I told you. I sorted it with Professor McGonagall."

"Yeah, but sorted it _how_?" Lucy pressed.

Hermione shook her head violently. "I'm really sorry, Lucy, but I can't tell you," she said, sounding conflicted. "Professor McGonagall made me _swear_ to keep this to myself."

"All right," Lucy sighed. "If McGonagall told you to not say anything, I'll go along with it. Although I'm not going to pretend that I'm not confused when you were just in class with me and then you say that you were in another class at the same time."

"Sorry," Hermione repeated, smiling sheepishly.

**~LJ:C~**

When they were finished with lunch, they rejoined the boys as they exited the castle for their first Care of Magical Creatures class. Lucy and Harry walked between Ron and Hermione, who refused to say anything to each other. The journey down to Hagrid's hut therefore remained silent.

As they got closer to the hut, they saw a group of Slytherins who were waiting for class to begin.

"Good afternoon, Lucy."

Lucy turned to see Jeremy and his friend Daphne Greengrass strolling up to them. "Hi, Jeremy!" Lucy exclaimed. "Hi, Daphne!"

"Hey, Lucy," Daphne said with a grin.

Harry groaned from beside Lucy, and she looked at him curiously. "Look who else is in our class," he said, waving a hand towards three Slytherins who were just ahead of them: Malfoy, Crabbe, and Goyle.

Lucy rolled her eyes and advised, "Just ignore whatever he says, Harry."

They reached Hagrid's hut to find Hagrid standing outside with his dog Fang. Fang bounded up to Lucy, jumping up excitedly.

"Hi, Fang," Lucy said, patting the dog's giant head.

"C'mon, now! Get a move on!" Hagrid called out to the gathering class. "Got a real treat fer yeh today! Great lesson comin' up! Everyone here? Righ'. Follow me!"

He led the class around the edge of the forbidden forest. They walked for a few minutes until they came to a fenced-in area.

"Everyone, gather 'round the fence here!" Hagrid instructed. "Tha's it—make sure yeh can see—Now, firs' thing yeh'll want ter do is open yer books—"

"How?" Malfoy called from the middle of his Slytherin gang.

"Eh?" Hagrid said.

"_How_ do we open our books?" Malfoy asked again, sneering. He pulled his book out, which was bound together, and other students in the class took their books out, as well.

"Hasn'—hasn' anyone bin able ter open their books?" Hagrid asked.

Everyone shook their heads.

"Yeh've got ter _stroke_ 'em," Hagrid explained. "Look—" He took Hermione's copy from her and unbound it. The book immediately tried to bite Hagrid's hand, but he took his finger and ran it along the book's spine. The book immediately calmed and opened up.

"Oh, how silly we've all been!" Malfoy said sarcastically. "We should have _stroked_ them! Why didn't we guess?"

"I—I thought they were funny," Hagrid said, frowning.

"Oh, tremendously funny!" Malfoy continued, getting smiles and giggles from his friends. "Really witty, giving us books that try to rip our hands off!"

"Shut up, Malfoy," Lucy said lazily.

"Righ', then," Hagrid said, sounding flustered. "So—so yeh've got yer books, an'—an'—now yeh need the magical creatures. Yeah. So, I'll go an' get 'em. Hang on.…" He turned and walked into the forest to retrieve the creatures he was talking about.

"God, this place is going to the dogs," Malfoy complained. "That _oaf_ teaching classes—my father'll have a fit when I tell him—"

"Shut up, Malfoy," Harry snapped.

"Careful, Potter, there's a dementor behind you!" Pansy shrieked, cackling loudly.

"Unfortunately, Malfoy, after what happened at the end of last year, I don't think there's much your father can do about Dumbledore's choice of teacher," Lucy said, smirking. "If you hate it here so much, maybe you should've asked your _daddy_ if you could have gone to a different school instead of whining about it every chance you get."

Malfoy glared at her, but before he could retort, Lavender Brown—a Gryffindor—interrupted by exclaiming, "Ooooooh!"

Hagrid was back, leading a dozen creatures towards the class. He tethered the creatures to the far side of the fence before turning back to the students. "Hippogriffs!" he announced, holding his arms out to the half-horse, half-eagle creatures. "Beau'iful, aren' they?"

Most of the class were looking at the hippogriffs with a sense of caution. Lucy, however, was intrigued.

"So," Hagrid began, "if yeh wan' ter come a bit nearer.…"

Lucy and Daphne eagerly moved forward to the edge of the fence, but the rest of the class hung back uneasily.

"Now, firs' thing yeh gotta know abou' hippogriffs is, they're proud," Hagrid explained. "Easily offended, hippogriffs are. Don't never insult one, 'cause it migh' be the last thing yeh do. And yeh always wait fer a hippogriff to make the firs' move. It's polite, see? Yeh walk toward him, yeh bow, an' yeh wait. If he bows back, yeh're allowed ter touch him. If he doesn' bow, then get away from him sharpish, 'cause those talons hurt.

"Righ'—who wants ter go firs'?" Hagrid asked, looking around at the class.

Nobody seemed to want to volunteer. Lucy and Daphne exchanged a glance; even Lucy felt hesitant, although she found the hippogriffs to be quite fascinating.

"No one?" Hagrid asked.

"I'll do it," Harry spoke up.

"Oooh, no, Harry!" Lavender hissed.

"Remember your tea leaves!" Parvati Patil—another Gryffindor—whispered.

Harry, ignoring his classmates, climbed over the fence to join Hagrid.

"Good man, Harry!" Hagrid boomed. "Righ', then—let's see how yeh get on with Buckbeak."

He untied one of the hippogriffs and led it forward away from the others. He and the hippogriff stopped a few feet away from Harry. "Easy, now, Harry," Hagrid said. "Yeh've got eye contact. Now try not ter blink.… Hippogriffs don' trust yeh if yeh blink too much.…"

Harry did as he was told, keeping eye contact with the hippogriff.

"Tha's it," Hagrid encouraged. "Tha's it, Harry.… Now, bow.…"

Again, Harry did what Hagrid said, and he bowed to Buckbeak. Buckbeak simply looked at him, not moving or bowing back.

"Ah," Hagrid said. "Righ'—back away, now, Harry. Easy does it.…"

However, as Harry began to move back, the hippogriff suddenly bent his front legs and bowed to him.

"Well done, Harry!" Hagrid encouraged. "Righ'—yeh can touch him now! Pat his beak! Go on!"

Harry, looking nervous, slowly walked towards Buckbeak until he was able to pet his beak. Buckbeak shut his eyes, looking content. The class broke out into scattered applause.

"Righ', then, Harry," Hagrid said. "I reckon he migh' let yeh ride him!" Harry looked over at Hagrid in disbelief, and Hagrid explained, "Yeh climb up there, jus' behind the wing joint, an' mind yeh don' pull any of his feathers out. He won' like tha'.…"

So, Harry carefully climbed up onto Buckbeak's back, looking very unsure of himself.

"Go on, then!" Hagrid shouted, giving Buckbeak a slap to get him going.

The hippogriff let out a squawk and unfurled his huge wings. Then he took off, Harry clinging anxiously to his back. Buckbeak flew only once around the enclosed area before heading back for the ground. He landed on all fours, looking proud of himself, and Harry righted himself on the hippogriff's back. The class—apart from Malfoy and his friends—cheered.

"Good work, Harry!" Hagrid said, looking quite proud himself. "Okay, who else wants a go?"

The rest of the class began to climb the fence, eager to pet the hippogriffs. Lucy and Daphne were the first ones over, followed by Hermione, Ron, and Jeremy. Hagrid retrieved a chestnut colored hippogriff and led them to an area, so they could practice. Harry slid from Buckbeak's back and joined them.

Lucy stepped up first, keeping her eyes on the hippogriff, and bowed slowly. The hippogriff seemed to consider her for a few seconds before bowing back.

Lucy walked slowly forward and began patting the side of its head. "Hi, sweetie," she whispered. "You're a beautiful hippogriff, aren't you?"

The hippogriff let out a low squawk.

Soon, the entire class was practicing on the hippogriffs.

"This is very easy," Malfoy said eventually. He had gotten Buckbeak to bow to him, and he was now patting the hippogriff. "I knew it must have been, if Potter could do it.… I bet you're not dangerous at all, are you?" he said, talking to Buckbeak. "Are you, you great ugly brute?"

Buckbeak suddenly reared up and slashed at Malfoy's arm with his talons. Malfoy fell to the ground with a cry of pain, and Hagrid leapt forward, throwing the leather collar around Buckbeak's neck and restraining him to the fence.

"I'm dying!" Malfoy shouted from the ground. He cradled his arm to his chest; there was blood seeping out of his robes. "I'm dying! Look at me! It's killed me!"

"Yeh're not dying," Hagrid said. "Someone, help me—gotta get him outta here—" He bent down and picked Malfoy up.

Hermione rushed forward, pushing the gate to the paddock open, so Hagrid could take Malfoy up to the castle. After a moment of stunned silence, the rest of the class started back up to the castle, as well. Malfoy's friends complained loudly about Hagrid as they walked.

"They should fire him straight away!" Pansy cried, tears in her eyes.

"It was _Malfoy's_ _fault_!" Sally-Anne shouted incredulously.

"Seriously, were _any_ of you paying attention?" Lucy added, glaring at Pansy and her friends. "Hagrid said that hippogriffs were _proud creatures_ and that you should never insult one. And what did Malfoy do?"

"Draco didn't do anything wrong!" Pansy insisted.

"That's because you think the sun shines out of Malfoy's ass," Jeremy retorted flatly.

Lucy let out a laugh at that, as did some of the other nearby Gryffindors.

When the class had reached the entrance hall, Pansy said, "I'm going to see if he's okay!" She ran off in the direction of the hospital wing.

"I guess I'll be off to my common room," Jeremy said to Lucy. "I'll see you later?"

"Yeah, see you," Lucy agreed, and she followed the rest of the Gryffindors up the marble staircase.

"D'you think he'll be all right?" Hermione asked about Malfoy, sounding worried.

"'Course he will," Harry scoffed. "Madam Pomfrey can mend cuts in about a second."

"That was a really bad thing to happen in Hagrid's first class, though, wasn't it?" Ron asked nervously. "Trust Malfoy to mess things up for him—"

"Hagrid better not get in any trouble for this," Lucy said angrily. "He told us exactly what would happen if we insulted a hippogriff, but was Malfoy listening? No!"

**~LJ:C~**

That evening, Lucy, Harry, Ron, and Hermione were some of the first students in the Great Hall for dinner. They looked expectantly at the staff table, but Hagrid wasn't there. The four Gryffindors sat at their table uneasily, unable to eat much.

"They _wouldn't_ fire him, would they?" Hermione finally spoke up anxiously.

"They'd better not," Lucy scowled.

"Well, you can't say it wasn't an interesting day back," Ron added.

**~LJ:C~**

When they were finished with their meals, they went back up to Gryffindor Tower to try and start their Transfiguration homework. Unfortunately, it was far too noisy in the common room to get any work done. The four of them also found themselves often looking out the window, where Hagrid's hut was visible.

"There's a light on at Hagrid's," Harry spoke up a while after they had started studying.

Ron checked the time. "If we hurried, we could go down and see him," he said. "It's still quite early—"

"I don't know," Hermione replied, glancing at Harry.

Harry sighed and said, "I'm allowed to walk across the _grounds_. Sirius Black hasn't got past the dementors yet, has he?"

"As far as we know," Lucy mumbled, but the four of them put their homework away and exited the common room.

**~LJ:C~**

They left the castle and trooped across the grounds, meeting nobody along the way. Reaching Hagrid's hut, Harry knocked loudly, and they heard Hagrid's voice from inside.

"C'min," he called.

They entered the hut to find Hagrid sitting drunk at his table.

"'Spect it's a record," he started without properly greeting them. "Don' reckon they've ever had a teacher who lasted on'y a day before."

"You haven't been fired, Hagrid?" Hermione cried, putting her hands to her mouth.

"Not yet," Hagrid replied, taking a gulp out of the large mug in front of him, "but it's only a matter o' time, isn' it? After Malfoy—"

"How is he?" Ron asked, taking a seat at the table, and the others followed suit. "It wasn't serious, was it?"

"Madam Pomfrey fixed him bes' she could," Hagrid answered, "but he's sayin' it's still agony—covered in bandages—moanin'—"

"He's faking it," Harry said in an attempt to calm Hagrid. "Madam Pomfrey can mend anything. She regrew half my bones last year. Trust Malfoy to milk it for all it's worth."

"School gov'nors have bin told, o' course," Hagrid continued. "They reckon I started too big. Shoulda left hippogriffs fer later—done flobberworms or summat.… Jus' thought it'd make a good firs' lesson.… 'S all my fault.…"

"It's _Malfoy's_ _fault_, Hagrid!" Lucy insisted.

"We're witnesses," Harry said, nodding fiercely. "You said hippogriffs attack if you insult them. It's Malfoy's problem that he wasn't listening. We'll tell Dumbledore what really happened."

"Yeah, don't worry, Hagrid. We'll back you up," Ron finished.

Hagrid started crying, reaching forward and pulling Harry and Ron into a hug.

"I think you've had enough to drink, Hagrid," Lucy said. She picked up the giant mug and took it outside to dump it out. She heard Hagrid follow her, but when she turned around, she saw him dunking his head in a barrel full of water just outside the back door.

"What's he done?" Harry asked as Lucy entered the hut again.

"Stuck his head in the water barrel," she replied, taking the mug over to Hagrid's sink.

Hagrid stomped back into his house, his hair and beard dripping wet. "Tha's better," he said. "Listen, it was good of yeh ter come an' see me. I really—" He stopped as he stared at Harry. "WHAT D'YEH THINK YEH'RE DOIN', EH?" he thundered, startling them all. "YEH'RE NOT TER GO WANDERIN' AROUND AFTER DARK, HARRY! AN' YOU THREE! LETTIN' 'IM!"

He took hold of Harry's arm and pulled him to the front door. "C'mon!" he demanded. "I'm takin' yeh back up ter school, an' don' let me catch yeh walkin' down ter see me after dark again. I'm not worth tha'!"

**~LJ:C~**

Hagrid marched them all the way back up to Gryffindor Tower, leaving them outside the Fat Lady's portrait after making them promise to not go wandering around the grounds at night again.

"I think he overreacted," Lucy said after Hagrid had walked away. "It was hardly night."

"He's right, though," Hermione said. "Professor Dumbledore said that we should be careful because of the dementors, not just Sirius Black."

They entered the common room and resumed their Transfiguration homework. Lucy couldn't help but think that it had been a very interesting day back, indeed.

**~LJ:C~**

* * *

_**A/N: The scheduling complications with Hermione's classes that help make up a major plot point in the book was kind of a pain in the ass for me trying to write Lucy into three new classes. I find it ridiculous that they wouldn't make a class schedule that would work in a way that you didn't need a Time Turner, but obviously, I didn't write the book.**_

_**In case it wasn't obvious from this chapter, Lucy is not very superstitious.**_


	6. 6: Professor Lupin

_**Disclaimer: Harry Potter is not mine.**_

* * *

**Chapter 6 – Professor Lupin**

A few days later, halfway through Potions class, Malfoy sauntered into the room. Lucy looked up from her Shrinking Potion to see that his arm was bandaged up and in a sling. It was the first class that he had been back for since the Care of Magical Creatures fiasco.

"How is it, Draco?" Pansy asked, looking thoroughly concerned. "Does it hurt much?"

"Yeah," Malfoy replied, a dramatic look of pain crossing his face.

Lucy shook her head and rolled her eyes.

"Settle down. Settle down," Snape said from the front of the class.

Lucy exchanged a look with Jeremy, who was sitting next to her.

Malfoy, meanwhile, set up his cauldron at the table right next to Harry and Ron. "Sir," Malfoy called to Snape. "Sir, I'll need help cutting up these daisy roots, because of my arm.…"

"Weasley, cut up Malfoy's roots for him," Snape said.

A few minutes later, Malfoy spoke up again, complaining, "Professor, Weasley's mutilating my roots, sir."

Snape stood up and walked over to their tables. "Change roots with Malfoy, Weasley," he commanded.

Ron cried, "But, sir—!"

"_Now_," Snape ordered.

"And, sir, I'll need this shrivelfig skinned," Malfoy added.

"Potter, you can skin Malfoy's shrivelfig," Snape said. Then he moved away from them to check on the rest of the class's progress.

"Malfoy's a right slimy git," Jeremy said in a low voice. "Putting on a show like Madam Pomfrey didn't mend his arm in a heartbeat."

"He better not be trying to get Hagrid in trouble," Lucy said, glowering at the back of Malfoy's head. "It's his own fault he got hurt."

Jeremy grabbed Lucy's arm as she was about to add leech juice to her cauldron. Lucy felt the faint yet familiar feeling of butterflies in her stomach at his touch.

"Only a little bit of that," Jeremy said. "You don't want to be dumping half a bottle into your cauldron while you're angry."

"Thanks," Lucy said, genuinely grateful. She knew that the easiest way to stay out of trouble in Snape's class was to keep her mouth shut and concentrate on whatever potion she was brewing. She grabbed a spoon, poured some juice onto it, and added it to her potion. Then she looked into her cauldron, frowning. It wasn't quite as bright green as she would have hoped, but at least it was close to the color it should have been.

"Orange, Longbottom," Snape spoke up loudly from a few tables away.

Lucy turned her head immediately to see what was happening. Snape had picked up Neville's ladle and scooped some of the potion out of his cauldron. Then he turned the ladle over, so everyone could see the orange-colored liquid spill out.

"Orange," the professor repeated. "Tell me, boy: does _anything_ penetrate that thick skull of yours? Didn't you hear me say, quite clearly, that only _one_ rat spleen was needed? Didn't I state plainly that a _dash_ of leech juice would suffice? What do I have to do to make you understand, Longbottom?"

"Not humiliating him in front of the entire class every time he messes up would be a good start," Lucy muttered under her breath.

Neville looked very upset.

"Please, sir," Hermione spoke up from her place next to Neville, "please—I could help Neville put it right—"

"I don't remember asking you to show off, Miss Granger," Snape snapped. "Longbottom, at the end of this lesson, we will feed a few drops of this potion to your toad and see what happens. Perhaps that will encourage you to do it properly." He swept off across the dungeon.

"Hey, Harry," Seamus Finnigan said, leaning over from the table next to Harry's, "have you heard? _Daily Prophet_ this morning—they reckon Sirius Black's been sighted."

"Where?" Harry and Ron asked together.

"Not too far from here," Seamus replied. "It was a Muggle who saw him. 'Course, she didn't really understand—the Muggles think he's just an ordinary criminal, don't they? So, she phoned the telephone hot line. By the time the Ministry of Magic got there, he was gone."

Lucy turned to Jeremy. "Not too far from here," she repeated, feeling nervous.

"It'll be okay," Jeremy said. "There are dementors at every entrance to the grounds. He wouldn't be able to get in without being spotted by them."

"No, you don't understand," Lucy said. She lowered her voice to barely a whisper and told him, "Sirius Black is coming after Harry."

"That really shouldn't surprise me at this point," Jeremy said, "but don't worry; the dementors will protect us, and Dumbledore will, as well."

"You should have finished adding your ingredients by now," Snape announced. "This potion needs to stew before it can be drunk, so clear away while it simmers. Then we'll test Longbottom's.…"

Lucy and Jeremy began to clean off their table, both filling a vial with a sample of their potion.

"I think mine looks a little too yellow," Jeremy said, frowning as he put a stopper in his vial.

"I don't think mine's bright enough," Lucy said. "I'm sure you'll get full marks, though. You're a Slytherin. I'll get docked points just because I'm a Gryffindor."

Jeremy chuckled and shook his head.

After everyone had washed up, Snape went over to Neville and his potion. Neville was practically cowering in fear.

"Everyone, gather 'round," Snape said, "and watch what happens to Longbottom's toad. If he has managed to produce a Shrinking Potion, it will shrink to a tadpole. If, as I don't doubt, he has done it wrong, his toad is likely to be poisoned."

He picked up Trevor the toad and poured a few drops of Neville's potion down the toad's throat. The Gryffindors all seemed to hold their breaths as nothing happened. Then, after a second, Trevor disappeared. There was now a tadpole wiggling in Snape's hand. The Gryffindors cheered as Neville let out a sigh of relief.

Snape fished out a small bottle from his robes and dropped a bit of the liquid onto Trevor, who turned back into a toad after another second. "Five points from Gryffindor," Snape growled, which caused everyone to stop cheering. "I told you not to help him, Miss Granger. Class dismissed."

He swept away from the class sourly, and Malfoy's group of Slytherins filed out of the dungeons, followed angrily by the Gryffindors.

"Five points from Gryffindor because the potion was all right!" Ron spat. "Why didn't you lie, Hermione? You should've said Neville did it all by himself!"

Lucy looked around, but Hermione was nowhere to be seen. "Where is she?" she asked.

"She was right behind us," Ron said, stopping at the top of the stairs from the dungeons.

Lucy and Harry looked behind them, but Hermione wasn't there.

"There she is," Harry said as Hermione appeared at the bottom of the stairs.

"How did you do that?" Ron asked her when she had caught up with them.

"What?" Hermione said. "Oh—I had to go back for something. Oh, no—" A ripping sound came from her backpack; a seam had split, revealing the corners of her multiple books.

"Why are you carrying all these around with you?" Ron asked.

"You know how many subjects I'm taking," Hermione answered shortly. "Couldn't hold these for me, could you?" She shoved a few books into Ron's hands.

"But…" Ron trailed off, looking at the covers of the books she had handed him. "You haven't got any of these subjects today. It's only Defense Against the Dark Arts this afternoon."

"Oh, yes," Hermione said, not really paying attention to what Ron was saying. She took the books away from Ron and shoved them back into her bag before saying, "I hope there's something good for lunch. I'm starving." Then she walked away for the Great Hall.

"D'you get the feeling Hermione's not telling us something?" Ron asked.

**~LJ:C~**

After lunch, the Gryffindors proceeded to their first Defense Against the Dark Arts class. Lupin was nowhere to be seen, so the Gryffindors sat down at the desks and pulled their books out.

Lupin was only a few minutes late. He smiled around at all of them as he walked to the front of the class. "Good afternoon," he greeted them. He pulled out a sheet of parchment and began taking roll call. "Lavender Brown?"

"Here," Lavender said.

"Hermione Granger?"

"Here," Hermione said.

"Lucy Jones?" Lupin looked straight at Lucy before she even replied.

"Here," she said unnecessarily.

Lupin gave her a faint smile before looking back down at his class list. As he continued to call names, Lucy frowned, her confusion about the new professor rising.

When Lupin had finished with roll call, he put the parchment away and requested, "Would you please put all your books back in your bags? Today's lesson will be a practical one. You will need only your wands."

There was a flurry as the students put their books away and retrieved their wands.

"Right, then," Lupin continued once the class was ready. "If you'd follow me."

Everyone exchanged glances of intrigue as they stood and followed Lupin from the room. They walked down the corridor and rounded the first corner to come face to face with Peeves the Poltergeist. Peeves was stuffing a door lock with gum, humming to himself.

Lupin led them forward, and when they were only a few feet away, Peeves turned to look at them.

"Loony, loopy Lupin," Peeves sang. "Loony, loopy Lupin. Loony, loopy Lupin.…"

"I'd take that gum out of the keyhole if I were you, Peeves," Lupin said cheerfully. "Mr. Filch won't be able to get in to his brooms."

Peeves paid the professor's words no attention; instead, he stuck his tongue out and blew a raspberry at them.

"This is a useful little spell," Lupin informed the class, withdrawing his wand from his robes. "Please watch closely." He cleared his throat, pointed his wand at Peeves, and said, "_Waddiwasil_!"

The chewing gum flew out of the lock and straight into Peeves's nose. Peeves let out a cry and zoomed away.

"Cool, sir!" Dean said excitedly.

"Thank you, Dean," Lupin replied. He stowed his wand away again and added, "Shall we proceed?

The class continued to follow Lupin, and he ended up leading them to the staff room. "Inside, please," he said as he held the door open.

The Gryffindors filed in, finding the room empty except for Snape. Lupin entered the room behind his students and was going to shut the door when Snape stopped him.

"Leave it open, Lupin," he said. "I'd rather not witness this." He got up from his chair and walked over to the door, but then he turned back and added, "Possibly no one's warned you, Lupin, but this class contains Neville Longbottom. I would advise you not to entrust him with anything difficult. Not unless Miss Granger is hissing instructions in his ear."

Lucy glared at the Potions teacher.

"I was hoping that Neville would assist me with the first stage of the operation," Lupin said, "and I am sure he will perform it admirably."

Snape sneered but didn't say anything. He left the room, pulling the door shut behind him.

"Now, then," Lupin started, directing the class's attention back to him. He moved to stand next to the wardrobe at the end of the room. When he reached the wardrobe, it began to shake, causing most of the class to take a step backward.

"Nothing to worry about," Lupin assured them. "There's a boggart in there. Boggarts like dark, enclosed spaces. Wardrobes—the gap beneath beds—the cupboards under sinks—I've even met one that had lodged itself in a grandfather clock. _This_ one moved in yesterday afternoon, and I asked the headmaster if the staff would leave it to give my third-years some practice.

"So, the first question we must ask ourselves is, what _is_ a boggart?" Lupin looked around at the students.

Hermione immediately put her hand in the air. "It's a shape-shifter," she answered. "It can take the shape of whatever it thinks will frighten us most."

"Couldn't have put it better myself," Lupin said with a nod. "So, the boggart sitting in the darkness within has not yet assumed a form. He does not yet know what will frighten the person on the other side of the door. Nobody knows what a boggart looks like when he is alone, but when I let him out, he will immediately become whatever each of us most fears." Neville let out a scared whimper as Lupin continued, "This means that we have a huge advantage over the boggart before we begin. Have you spotted it, Harry?"

Hermione rose her hand anyway.

"Er—" Harry said. "Because there are so many of us, it won't know what shape it should be?"

"Precisely," Lupin said, and Hermione let her hand fall. "It's always best to have company when you're dealing with a boggart. He becomes confused. Which should he become, a headless corpse or a flesh-eating slug? I once saw a boggart make that very mistake—tried to frighten two people at once and turned himself into half a slug. Not remotely frightening."

Lucy let out a giggle, and Lupin shot her a smile back. "The charm that repels a boggart is simple," he continued, "yet it requires force of mind. You see, the thing that really finishes a boggart is _laughter_. What you need to do is force it to assume a shape that you find amusing. We will practice the charm without wands first. After me, please.… _Riddikulus_!"

"_Riddikulus_!" the class repeated.

"Good," Lupin said. "Very good, but that was the easy part, I'm afraid. You see, the word alone is not enough. This is where you come in, Neville."

Neville gulped audibly as he shuffled forward.

"Right, Neville," Lupin said. "First things first: what would you say is the thing that frightens you most in the world?"

A noise came from Neville, but he seemed unable to form words.

"Didn't catch that, Neville. Sorry," Lupin said.

Neville glanced around at his classmates before turning back to Lupin. "Professor Snape," he mumbled.

The Gryffindors laughed good-heartedly at his answer.

"Professor Snape…" Lupin repeated. "Hmmm.… Neville, I believe you live with your grandmother?"

"Er—yes," Neville replied, "but—I don't want the boggart to turn into _her_, either."

"No, no. You misunderstand me," Lupin said, smiling warmly at Neville. "I wonder, could you tell us what sort of clothes your grandmother usually wears?"

"Well… always the same hat," Neville started. "A tall one with a stuffed vulture on top. A long dress—green, normally—and sometimes a fox-fur scarf."

"And a handbag?" Lupin asked.

"A big red one," Neville answered, nodding.

"Right, then," Lupin said. "Can you picture those clothes very clearly, Neville? Can you see them in your mind's eye?"

"Yes," Neville said.

"When the boggart bursts out of this wardrobe, Neville, and sees you, it will assume the form of Professor Snape," Lupin explained. "You will raise your wand—thus—cry _Riddikulus_—and concentrate hard on your grandmother's clothes. If all goes well, Professor Boggart Snape will be forced into that vulture-topped hat, green dress, and big red handbag."

Everyone in the class let out a laugh.

"If Neville is successful, the boggart is likely to shift his attention to each of us in turn," Lupin informed them. "I would like you all to take a moment now to think of the thing that scares you most and imagine how you might force it to look comical.…"

Lucy knew at once what scared her the most. When she was about six years old, her parents had taken her to the ocean. It had been a windy day, and the waves on the water were very choppy. Little Lucy was wading in water that was only up to her knees when a giant wave overtook her. She was swept under the water, and she could remember panicking, not knowing which direction was up. Her father had saved her, but ever since then, she had disliked water.

"Everyone ready?" Lupin announced after a few minutes. "Neville, we're going to back away and let you have a clear field, all right? I'll call the next person forward.… Everyone back, now, so Neville can get a clear shot.…"

The rest of the class backed up, so Neville had plenty of space to take a turn with the boggart.

"On the count of three, Neville," Lupin said. He pulled his wand out and pointed it at the wardrobe. "One—two—three—_now_!" He swished his wand, and the wardrobe door flew open.

The boggart, who looked exactly like Snape, stepped out and started towards Neville.

"_R-R-Riddikulus_!" Neville stammered, holding his wand out with a shaking hand.

The Boggart Snape tripped as his outfit changed into a bright green dress and a hat with a stuffed vulture on top. Everyone began laughing, and the boggart looked around, not sure what to change into next.

"Parvati!" Lupin exclaimed. "Forward!"

Parvati walked forward as Neville backed away. The boggart turned to Parvati, and then there was a large crack. Where Boggart Snape had been standing there was now a mummy. It started limping towards Parvati.

"_Riddikulus_!" Parvati cried.

The mummy tripped over a bandage that had unraveled from its foot. It fell over, and its head rolled off its shoulders.

"Seamus!" Lupin said, and Seamus and Parvati switched places.

The boggart changed from the mummy into a banshee. Lucy had to put her hands over her ears as the banshee started screaming.

"_Riddikulus_!" Seamus bellowed.

Suddenly, the banshee stopped screaming. It put its hands to its throat; its voice was gone.

"Lucy!" Lupin said.

Lucy stepped forward. There was a crack, and the boggart had changed into a large, dark wave looming over Lucy's head. Her heart leapt, but she held her wand out steadily.

"_Riddikulus_!" she shouted.

The wave of water became a wave of rubber ducks, all quacking loudly. Lucy grinned, happy that she had been able to take on the boggart. She backed away, and the boggart quickly shifted between a few different forms.

"It's confused!" Lupin explained. "We're getting there! Dean!"

Dean stepped up, and the boggart became a severed hand. It scuttled towards Dean, using its fingers as feet.

"_Riddikulus_!" Dean yelled.

A mousetrap appeared and snatched the boggart up.

"Excellent!" Lupin said, smiling. "Ron, you next!"

Ron stepped forward, and the boggart turned into a giant spider. Lucy shuddered.

"_Riddikulus_!" Ron cried.

The legs of the spider disappeared, and it began to roll around on the floor. It rolled near Lavender, who shrieked and ran away from it, and then it stopped in front of Harry. Harry raised his wand, ready to face the boggart, but Lupin rushed forward.

"Here!" he said, and the boggart changed.

At first, nobody could figure out where it went, but then they noticed a silver sphere hanging in the air.

"_Riddikulus_!" Lupin stated, waving his wand.

The boggart flew backwards and changed into a cockroach, thoroughly confused.

"Forward, Neville, and finished him off!" Lupin instructed.

Neville stepped up again, looking much less frightened. Boggart Snape reappeared.

"_Riddikulus_!" Neville roared.

The boggart changed once again to Snape in the dress before finally disappearing for good. Everyone cheered and applauded.

"Excellent!" Lupin said, grinning. "Excellent, Neville. Well done, everyone.… Let me see… five points to Gryffindor for every person to tackle the boggart—ten for Neville because he did it twice—and five each to Hermione and Harry."

"I didn't do anything," Harry spoke up, sounding confused.

"You and Hermione answered my questions correctly at the start of class, Harry," Lupin replied. "Very well, everyone—an excellent lesson. Homework: kindly read the chapter on boggarts and summarize it for me… to be handed in on Monday. That will be all."

The class started filing from the staff room, but Lucy hung back. "Professor Lupin?" she said.

"Yes, Lucy?" Lupin prompted, and Lucy thought that he was watching at her with a look of apprehension on his face.

"I was just wondering how you knew my name on the train," she said.

Lupin looked away from her, fiddling with the sleeve of his robe. "I don't think I'm going to be able to give you a satisfactory answer today, Lucy," he said, and Lucy frowned as he glanced at her again. "Don't worry; it's nothing to be bothered about," he assured her.

Lucy studied the professor for a moment longer before deciding to drop the subject—for now. "All right," she replied. "I should catch up with my friends."

"I'll see you on Monday," Lupin said.

Lucy turned and hurried from the staff room. She found Hermione waiting for her in the corridor.

"What was that all about?" Hermione asked as they made their way back to the Defense Against the Dark Arts classroom.

"I have this weird feeling that Professor Lupin knows me," Lucy told her friend. "He knew my name on the train before I ever said anything to him. I suppose if he'd been awake while we were talking, he may have overheard one of you three call me by my name.… Then today in class, when he was doing roll call, he looked straight at me as he said my name."

"I'm sure it's just some kind of coincidence," Hermione reasoned.

"Yeah, probably," Lucy agreed.

The girls reached the classroom and collected their bags. Ron and Harry were there waiting for them.

"He seems like a very good teacher," Hermione commented as the four of them left the classroom. "I just wish I could have had a turn with the boggart—"

"What would it have been for you?" Ron snickered. "A piece of homework that only got nine out of ten?"

"Leave her alone, Ron," Lucy scolded. She noticed Harry was being awfully quiet, so she asked him, "What's up, Harry?"

"Nothing," Harry replied. "Nothing, I'm fine."

Lucy shrugged, and the four Gryffindors climbed the stairs back to their common room.

**~LJ:C~**

* * *

_**A/N: A friend of mine on Twitter helped me pick out what Lucy's boggart would turn into. Thanks D!**_


	7. 7: Hogsmeade

_**Disclaimer: Harry Potter is not mine.**_

* * *

**Chapter 7 – Hogsmeade**

As September went on, Lucy found herself getting used to having three more classes in her schedule. She had to spend a bit more time studying than she had in the past two years, but it didn't bother her as much as she thought it would. Of her new classes, Muggle Studies and Arithmancy turned out to be very interesting. Professor Burbage and Professor Vector—the teacher for Arithmancy—both did a superb job at teaching their material.

Defense Against the Dark Arts also became a class that Lucy looked forward to going to. Professor Lupin was a great improvement over Professor Lockhart from the previous year. Lupin had continued to teach the third-years about dark and dangerous creatures. As much as she enjoyed his teaching, however, Lucy still couldn't help but wonder how he had known her name.

Jeremy had become Lucy's permanent Potions table partner, and Lucy was enjoying having the time to spend with him. It had been harder to hang out after classes since their workloads had increased as compared to their second year. Having Jeremy at her table was one of the only things that made Potions bearable for Lucy. Professor Snape seemed to have an even stronger vendetta against the Gryffindors than ever before.

From the stories that Harry, Ron, and Hermione told her about Divination, Lucy was more and more grateful that she hadn't taken that class. Professor Trelawney continued to sound like a phony. Whenever Lucy and Hermione had their dormitory to themselves, Hermione would exaggeratingly reenact things that had happened in class, which almost always sent Lucy into fits of laughter so hard that she would tear up. They had to avoid doing these things in front of Lavender and Parvati, though, as they had become very fond of Professor Trelawney.

The only class Lucy was very disappointed in was Care of Magical Creatures. After what had happened to Malfoy, Hagrid seemed very nervous to show the class anything other than flobberworms. They spent all their lessons learning how to take care of these creatures, but they didn't need much attention.

**~LJ:C~**

September ended, and October began with chilly winds and overcast skies. October also saw the beginning of the Quidditch season, which meant that Harry was going to practices in the evening a few times a week.

On night in mid-October, Lucy, Hermione, and Ron were studying Astronomy in front of the fireplace in their common room—Harry had gone off to Quidditch practice.

Kristen Dunbar—one of the Gryffindor seventh-year prefects and the Head Girl—came into the common room, carrying a sheet of parchment. "Hey, everyone," she announced as she crossed the room. "Professor McGonagall just gave me this notice to put up. The first Hogsmeade visit this year will be on Halloween."

There was a large break out of conversations as Kristen went to the board and pinned the parchment up.

A little while later, the Gryffindor Quidditch team came stomping into the common room.

Harry walked over to his friends, looking interested in what everyone was talking about. "What's happened?" he asked.

"First Hogsmeade weekend," Ron replied, gesturing to the bulletin board. "Halloween."

"Excellent," Fred, who had followed Harry over, said with a grin. "I need to visit Zonko's. I'm nearly out of stink pellets."

Lucy wrinkled her nose. "Why would you need stink pellets?" she asked.

"I don't know if you've noticed this about my brother and me," Fred answered, "but we're pretty into the whole practical joke thing."

Lucy rolled her eyes. "Your sarcasm is noted," she muttered.

Fred smiled at her and ruffled her hair before leaving for his dormitory. Harry sank into an empty chair next to Ron.

"Harry, I'm sure you'll be able to go next time," Hermione said to him. "They're bound to catch Black soon. He's been sighted once already."

"Black's not fool enough to try anything in Hogsmeade," Ron insisted. "Ask McGonagall if you can go this time, Harry. The next one might not be for ages—"

"_Ron_!" Hermione gasped.

"Black is the only person to ever escape from Azkaban," Lucy said. "What makes you think he wouldn't try to do something in Hogsmeade if he wanted to?"

"Besides," Hermione reminded them, "Harry's supposed to _stay in school_—"

"He can't be the only third-year left behind," Ron argued. "Ask McGonagall, go on, Harry.…"

"Yeah, I think I will," Harry agreed.

Lucy rolled her eyes. "He might be the only third-year who didn't get his permission form signed, but he's also the only third-year who Black is hunting down," she pointed out, but Ron and Harry ignored her.

Crookshanks interrupted them, jumping up onto Hermione's lap with a spider in his mouth.

"Does he _have_ to eat that in front of us?" Ron asked, disgusted.

"Clever Crookshanks! Did you catch that all by yourself?" Hermione cooed.

"Just keep him over there," Ron said, glaring at the cat. "I've got Scabbers asleep in my bag."

Harry excused himself then to go upstairs and get cleaned up. He returned to the common room a little while later with his bag hanging off one shoulder. He tried to stifle a yawn as he pulled his Astronomy homework out.

"You can copy mine, if you like," Ron offered. He handed his finished chart over.

Hermione gave a little shake of her head but didn't say anything. Harry started looking over his and Ron's charts when Crookshanks suddenly sprung towards Ron's bag.

"OY!" Ron yelled, grabbing his bag and trying to pull it away from Crookshanks. "GET OFF, YOU STUPID ANIMAL!"

Crookshanks sank his claws into the bag and refused to let go.

"Ron, don't hurt him!" Hermione cried.

Ron wasn't listening. He stood up, swinging his bag from side to side, but Crookshanks wouldn't let go. All the swinging, however, caused Scabbers to go flying from the top of the bag. Crookshanks lunged after the rat.

"CATCH THAT CAT!" Ron bellowed.

George was the only person that attempted to grab Crookshanks, but he missed. Scabbers shot under a set of drawers, and Crookshanks swiped his paws underneath. Hermione and Ron rushed over, and Hermione picked Crookshanks up. Ron fell onto his stomach and managed to fish Scabbers out from under the drawers.

"Look at him!" Ron shouted, holding Scabbers out in front of Hermione's face. "He's skin and bone! You keep that cat away from him!"

"Crookshanks doesn't understand it's wrong!" Hermione insisted. "All cats chase rats, Ron!"

"Evie has never chased Scabbers around like your monster has!" Ron shot back, pointing at Lucy.

"Hey, don't bring my cat into this," Lucy said, frowning. "Hermione's right, most cats will chase rats. Mine just happens to be extremely lazy, and she's used to Scabbers by now."

"There's something funny about that animal!" Ron insisted. "It _heard_ me say that Scabbers was in my bag!"

"Oh, what rubbish," Hermione scoffed. "Crookshanks could _smell_ him, Ron. How else d'you think—?"

"That cat's got it in for Scabbers!" Ron interrupted. "Scabbers was here first, _and_ he's ill!" He turned on his heel and stamped up the stairs to the boys' dormitories, his ripped bag in one hand and Scabbers, still struggling to break free, in the other.

"I've never really noticed what a cry baby Ron can be sometimes," Lucy said as Hermione rejoined her and Harry in front of the fire. "He's smart enough to know that cats chase rats and mice and spiders—"

"I do hope Crookshanks didn't hurt Scabbers," Hermione said in a small voice.

"I'm sure Scabbers is fine," Lucy reassured her. "Besides, remember what the witch in the animal shop said? Common garden rats only live three or four years. Scabbers is—what?—twelve years old? It's amazing he's lived this long to begin with."

Hermione nodded.

"I don't know," Harry said. "Ron has a point. Scabbers _has_ been feeling ill, and it's not helping with Crookshanks chasing him all over the place."

"Then Ron should leave Scabbers upstairs in his dormitory," Lucy said, shaking her head.

"Well, what about your cat not attacking Scabbers?" Harry pointed out.

"My cat's too lazy to chase rats around," Lucy replied. "Evie has never chased any little animal in her whole life. She just doesn't care about it."

"Never mind, let's just get back to our homework," Hermione said, and they all went back to their star charts.

**~LJ:C~**

The next morning, Ron was still very upset. He didn't say a word to anyone all throughout breakfast, and he only spoke when he had to during their first class of the day, which was Herbology.

Professor Sprout set them to work on pulling the pink beans off a batch of puffapods. Harry, Ron, and Hermione all worked together at the same table, while Lucy worked with Neville and Sally-Anne. It was a fairly easy task.

"How's Scabbers?" Hermione asked Ron about half way through the class.

Ron ripped a few beans from the puffapod angrily. "He's hiding at the bottom of my bed, shaking," he growled. He threw the beans at their wooden bucket but missed, and the beans scattered across the floor of the greenhouse.

"Careful, Weasley! Careful!" Professor Sprout scolded.

**~LJ:C~**

At the end of the lesson, Ron stomped ahead of the rest of the class. After exchanging looks with Lucy, Harry hurried after him. Lucy walked with Hermione.

"I can't believe he's still upset," Hermione said. "I don't know what I can say to him to make things better."

"You don't have to say anything," Lucy insisted. "You didn't _do_ anything. It's not your fault that Crookshanks wants to chase his rat."

Hermione looked doubtful, and Lucy decided to drop the subject.

When they reached the Transfiguration classroom, they were startled to see Lavender crying and surrounded by Parvati, Dean, Seamus, Harry, and Ron.

"What's the matter, Lavender?" Hermione asked as she and Lucy joined the group.

"She got a letter from home this morning," Parvati explained in a hushed voice. "It's her rabbit, Binky. He's been killed by a fox."

"Oh, I'm sorry, Lavender," Lucy said.

"I should have known!" Lavender cried. "You know what day it is?"

Lucy shook her head along with Hermione, Ron, and Harry.

Lavender wailed, "The sixteenth of October! _That thing you're dreading, it will happen on the sixteenth of October!_ Remember? She was right! She was right!"

"Who's _she_?" Lucy asked blankly.

"Professor Trelawney," Parvati answered, her arm wrapped around her sobbing friend's shoulders.

Lucy glanced at Hermione, who had a look of concentration on her face.

"You—you were dreading Binky being killed by a fox?" Hermione asked tentatively.

"Well, not necessarily by a _fox_," Lavender answered, "but I was _obviously_ dreading him dying, wasn't I?"

"Oh," Hermione said. She paused and then asked further, "Was Binky an _old_ rabbit?"

"N-No!" Lavender said. "H-He was only a baby!"

"Then why would you be dreading him dying?" Hermione pointed out, and everyone looked around at her. "Well, think about it logically," she went on. "I mean, Binky didn't even die today, did he? Lavender just got the news today. And she _can't_ have been dreading it, because it's obviously come as a real shock—"

"Don't mind Hermione, Lavender," Ron cut in. "She doesn't think other people's pets matter very much."

"Shut up, Ron," Lucy snapped. "Besides, Hermione is making a good point. It sounds like a coincidence that Professor Trelawney happened to say something about October sixteenth, and then Lavender received a letter about Binky's death today."

"What would you know about it?" Parvati scoffed. "You don't even take Divination." She tightened her arm around Lavender and pulled her away.

Lucy rolled her eyes at the girls' backs. Then Professor McGonagall opened the classroom door, beckoning the Gryffindors inside.

"Thanks, Lucy," Hermione murmured as the rest of the class filed in, and Lucy gave her friend a small smile.

**~LJ:C~**

At the end of the lesson, as the bell was ringing, Professor McGonagall called for silence. "One moment, please!" she said loudly. When she had their attention, she began, "As you're all in my house, you should hand Hogsmeade permission forms to me before Halloween. No form means no visiting the village, so don't forget!"

"Please, Professor," Neville said, putting his hand up, "I—I think I've lost—"

"Your grandmother sent me yours directly, Longbottom," Professor McGonagall reassured him. "She seemed to think it was safer. Well, that's all. You may leave."

Lucy and Hermione stood and walked towards the door. They were passing Harry and Ron when they heard Ron say, "Ask her now." The girls halted immediately.

Hermione started, "Oh, but—"

"Go for it, Harry," Ron insisted, ignoring her.

Harry nodded and went up to talk to Professor McGonagall. Ron followed Lucy and Hermione out of the classroom.

"He really shouldn't be going to Hogsmeade while Black's still on the loose," Lucy said as soon as the door had shut behind them. "You _know_ that's true, Ron."

"It's not fair that he shouldn't be allowed to go," Ron replied. "I just want my best mate to be able to enjoy Hogsmeade as much as we will."

"I wish that he could go, too," Lucy said, "but this business with Sirius Black is just too dangerous. And once he's been arrested again, hopefully Harry will be able to come with us."

"Unfortunately for Harry, I think Professor McGonagall is going to think the same way," Hermione added.

Ron scowled at the girls.

"Come on, Hermione," Lucy said, not wanting another argument to start. "Let's get to class." She led Hermione away, leaving Ron to wait for Harry.

**~LJ:C~**

Unsurprisingly, Professor McGonagall had refused to let Harry visit the village without his permission form signed. No matter what Lucy and Hermione said to try and convince him that it was safer for him in the castle, Harry remained upset about not being able to go, although Lucy really couldn't blame him for it.

On the morning of Halloween, Lucy and Hermione woke up to find that Sally-Anne, Lavender, and Parvati had already left the dormitory. They got up and dressed, making sure to wear their Gryffindor zip up jackets, as the weather had been chilly lately. Once they were satisfied with their outfits, they left Gryffindor Tower for breakfast.

When they reached the entrance hall, they ran into Jeremy and Daphne, who were also going to breakfast.

"Good morning," Jeremy greeted. "Isn't it a lovely day to visit the charming village of Hogsmeade?"

"Morning," Lucy replied, the butterflies in her stomach acting up as Jeremy grinned at her. "Would you two want to come down to Hogsmeade with us today?"

Jeremy shrugged and nodded at the same time. "What do you think?" he asked Daphne.

"Sure, why not?" Daphne said. "The more, the merrier."

The four students entered the Great Hall and sat down at the Gryffindor table for breakfast. Ron and Harry soon joined them. Lucy had told Jeremy that Harry wasn't able to go to Hogsmeade, and she hoped that he wouldn't bring it up.

However, since it was so exciting, it was hard to not talk about the trip. All the students around them—besides the first-years and second-years—were all babbling away about what they were going to do. Harry grew more miserable the longer breakfast went on.

**~LJ:C~**

Finally, it was time to go to Hogsmeade. Lucy and her friends walked out into the entrance hall and paused to say their farewells to Harry.

"We'll bring you lots of sweets back from Honeydukes," Hermione reassured him.

"Yeah, loads," Ron agreed.

"Don't worry about me," Harry said. "I'll see you at the feast. Have a good time."

"You, too," Lucy said. "Don't get into too much trouble without us."

Harry cracked a small smile, but it didn't last long. He waved at his friends before turning and heading for the marble staircase.

"Staying here, Potter?" Malfoy called from his spot in the line of students waiting to be cleared to leave. "Scared of passing the dementors?" He, Crabbe, and Goyle guffawed, but Harry didn't turn around.

"Shut up, Malfoy," Lucy said as she and the others passed him on their way to the end of the line.

Once they joined the students waiting to leave the castle, Jeremy's Ravenclaw friend Jake Fletcher hurried over to them. "You weren't thinking about going to Hogsmeade without me, were you?" he asked.

"Well, we almost got away with it," Daphne joked. Jake nudged her shoulder, and she stuck her tongue out at him. Then she turned to the others and asked, "So, what should we do first when we get to the village?"

"Well, if we're going to take some sweets back to Harry, I think we should hit Honeydukes last," Lucy said. "Then we won't have to be carrying candy around with us all day."

"Let's just explore the village," Jeremy suggested. "If we see anything interesting, we can stop and take a look."

The rest of them agreed.

The line to leave was very long. Filch was checking each and every person against a long list of those who had turned in permission forms. When they finally got to the front of the line, Filch let them pass, and they left the castle.

**~LJ:C~**

There was a winding pathway that led down to the village. It was a nearly fifteen-minute walk to get to the gates that led from the grounds to Hogsmeade. There were two dementors on guard nearby, but neither of them moved as the students walked by.

Hogsmeade was a small village with one major street—called High Street—where all the famous shops were located. The trees around them were colored yellow and orange, and fallen leaves cluttered the cobblestone street. Lucy's eyes were wide at the sight of the fully magical village.

The first shop they went into was a repair store called Dervish & Banges. From there they stopped in at the post office to see what it was like, and then a music shop called Dominic Maestro's. Next, at Hermione's insistence, they went into the bookshop, which was called Tomes and Scrolls. Hermione ended up buying two books, and the rest of them had to drag her out of the shop before they spent all morning there.

It was getting close to lunch time, so they stopped in at the pub, which was called The Three Broomsticks. There they each got a sandwich and a mug of butterbeer. Lucy had never had butterbeer before, and she was presently surprised at how warm it made her feel.

"I wonder what Harry's up to," Hermione said as they ate their small lunch.

"I'm sure he found something to occupy his time," Lucy answered.

"I just hope he's not too bored," Hermione added. "Hopefully they'll catch Black, and then maybe Professor McGonagall will reconsider letting him visit."

Once they had finished their butterbeer and sandwiches, the group decided to go over to Zonko's Joke Shop.

"This is the Weasley twins' favorite store, apparently," Lucy said to Jeremy as Ron led the way to the shop.

They all filed into the building and were amazed by how big the shop actually was. They spent a long time inside, and everything was so interesting that not even Hermione seemed to mind when they spent more time in there than they had at the bookstore.

Finally, they were able to pull themselves away to march down the street to Honeydukes. Inside this shop were a hundred different types of candy, all colorfully wrapped and packaged. Lucy's arms were quickly full of sweets that she had picked out for herself and for Harry.

**~LJ:C~**

It was getting late when they decided it was time to get back up to the castle. Groups of students were already walking up the path away from the village. They didn't want to miss the Halloween feast, and they still had to get Harry his candy. So, they walked the fifteen-minute journey back to Hogwarts, and Lucy, Ron, and Hermione made it back to the Gryffindor common room with plenty of time to spare.

They found Harry sitting in one of the chairs in front of the fire with some of his school work in front of him.

"There you go," Ron said, dropping the bag of candy they had filled onto Harry's lap. "We got as much as we could carry."

"Thanks," Harry said, digging around in the bag and pulling out a packet of Pepper Imps. "What's Hogsmeade like? Where did you go?"

The three launched into describing Hogsmeade, telling him about all the shops they had gone inside.

"The post office, Harry!" Hermione exclaimed. "About two hundred owls, all sitting on shelves and color-coded depending on how fast you want your letter to get there!"

"Honeydukes has got a new kind of fudge," Ron added. "They were giving out free samples. We brought you some—it's in that bag somewhere."

"We _think_ we saw an ogre," Hermione said. "They get all sorts at The Three Broomsticks."

"Wish we could have brought you some butterbeer," Ron said. "It really warms you up."

"What did you do?" Lucy asked when they were finished talking about Hogsmeade. "Did you get any work done?"

"No," Harry replied. "Lupin made me a cup of tea in his office."

"That was nice of him," Lucy commented.

"Yeah, but get this," Harry went on. "Snape came into Lupin's office while I was still there. He was carrying this goblet full of some kind of potion. It had smoke coming off the top of it. Snape said that Lupin had to drink it right away, and that he had a whole cauldron full for Lupin if he needed more of it."

"Did Lupin say what the potion was?" Lucy asked.

"He just told me that he hadn't been feeling well," Harry continued. "He said that this potion was the only thing that would make him feel better, but it's very complex, which was why Snape made it. Then Lupin drank the entire potion."

"_Lupin drank it_?" Ron gasped. "Is he mad?"

"What—do you think that Snape would have fed Lupin poison?" Lucy asked, very doubtful that that was the case.

"We'd better go down, you know," Hermione interrupted, checking her watch. "The feast'll be starting in a few minutes."

The four Gryffindors exited the common room.

"I don't think Snape would try to poison one of the other professors right under Dumbledore's nose," Lucy continued as they walked down to the Great Hall.

"I think he'd do almost anything to get the Defense Against the Dark Arts job," Harry said.

"But if he—you know—" Hermione said in a hushed voice, "if he _was_ trying to—to poison Lupin—he wouldn't have done it in front of Harry."

"Yeah, maybe," Harry said, still looking unconvinced.

They reached the entrance hall and followed the crowd swarming to go to the feast.

**~LJ:C~**

The Great Hall had been transformed since Lucy had seen it at breakfast. The usual floating candles had been replaced by floating pumpkins with candles inside them. Bats were flying around the hall, and there were streamers strung across the rafters of the ceiling.

Lucy and her friends took seats at the Gryffindor table next to the Weasley twins and Neville. "Look, Harry," Lucy said, pointing at the staff table. "Lupin is there, and he looks very normal."

Harry looked up and then shrugged, seemingly satisfied for now.

The house and staff tables were filled to the brim with wonderful food. Lucy, Ron, and Hermione hadn't eaten that much throughout their trip to Hogsmeade, so they all piled their plates full. The Great Hall was full of joy and laughter.

Lucy thought back to her past two Halloweens. When she was a first-year, the feast had been interrupted by a troll being set loose in the castle. In her second year, she and her friends had been invited to the Gryffindor house ghost Nearly Headless Nick's deathday party, which had been a very interesting experience. After they had left the party, Filch's cat Mrs. Norris had been found Petrified, and the Chamber of Secrets had been opened. Lucy was hoping that this Halloween could end much more cheerfully than the last two had.

At the end of the feast, the castle ghosts all performed for the students, leaving the hall ringing with laughter and praise. When they were finished, Professor Dumbledore stood up and bid the school good night. The students all started to leave the Great Hall to head back to their dormitories.

Lucy, Harry, Ron, and Hermione trooped up the stairs and made their way to Gryffindor Tower. However, when they reached the corridor that housed the portrait hole, they found themselves in a crowd of Gryffindors all standing outside the Fat Lady's portrait.

"Why isn't anyone going in?" Ron asked, standing on his tiptoes to see if he could find why everyone was waiting out in the hall.

"Let me through, please." Percy had arrived, and he was pushing himself forward through the crowd. "What's the holdup here? You can't all have forgotten the password—excuse me, I'm Head Boy—"

A hush fell over the crowd, and then Percy's voice rang out firmly, "Somebody get Professor Dumbledore. Quick."

There were still Gryffindors joining the crowd from the Halloween feast, and everyone was very confused. Students at the back were complaining, wanting to know what was happening.

Suddenly, Professor Dumbledore arrived. The Gryffindors all cleared a path for the Headmaster, who made his way to the front of the line. Lucy, Harry, Ron, and Hermione were able to squeeze forward and get a good view of the portrait hole.

"Oh, my…" Hermione said, clutching onto Lucy's and Harry's arms.

The usual portrait guarding the tower was hanging on the wall, but the Fat Lady was nowhere to be seen. The painting has been slashed at, and there were bits of the canvas littering the floor in front of it.

Professors McGonagall, Lupin, and Snape all arrived then.

Dumbledore turned to them and said, "We need to find her. Professor McGonagall, please go to Mr. Filch at once and tell him to search every painting in the castle for the Fat Lady."

"You'll be lucky!" a voice from above them laughed. They all turned to see Peeves floating in midair.

"What do you mean, Peeves?" Dumbledore asked.

Peeves's face sobered up at being addressed by the Headmaster. "Ashamed, Your Headship, sir," he explained. "Doesn't want to be seen. She's a horrible mess. Saw her running through the landscape up on the fourth floor, sir, dodging between the trees. Crying something dreadful. Poor thing," he added in a fake simpering tone.

"Did she say who did it?" Dumbledore pressed calmly.

"Oh, yes, Professorhead," Peeves answered. "He got very angry when she wouldn't let him in, you see." Peeves flipped over in the air, so he was upside down. "Nasty temper he's got, that Sirius Black."

**~LJ:C~**

* * *

_**A/N: Evie is obviously not as smart as Crookshanks is. lol**_


	8. 8: Harry's First Loss

_**A/N: This is getting posted later than usual because the internet was out at my house this morning, so I couldn't post before I left for work. Oh well!**_

_**Disclaimer: Harry Potter is not mine.**_

* * *

**Chapter 8 – Harry's First Loss**

A panic spread through the Gryffindors after Peeves had zoomed away, cackling. Lucy felt as though she had swallowed something very icy, and she exchanged a horrified look with Hermione.

"All Gryffindor students," Dumbledore thundered, "will proceed to the Great Hall. Immediately, please."

Slowly, all the students turned around and made their way back downstairs. Soon after, they were joined in the Great Hall by the rest of the school, all of whom looked confused.

"Lucy!"

Lucy turned to see Jeremy hurrying over to her, and she felt a surge of relief when she saw him.

"What's going on?" he asked.

Before Lucy could answer, Dumbledore called for attention from the doors of the Great Hall. "The teachers and I need to conduct a thorough search of the castle," he announced. "I'm afraid that, for your own safety, you will have to spend the night here. I want the prefects to stand guard over the entrances to the hall, and I am leaving the Head Boy and Girl in charge. Any disturbances should be reported to me immediately. Send word with one of the ghosts," he added, looking over at Percy and Kristen Dunbar.

Dumbledore turned to leave before pausing and looking back to say, "Oh, yes, you'll be needing—" He pulled out his wand and waved it over his head. The four house tables flew up against the walls. Dumbledore waved his wand once more, and a bunch of purple sleeping bags appeared on the floor.

"Sleep well," Dumbledore said. He left the Great Hall, followed by Professors McGonagall and Flitwick.

"_What_ _happened_?" Jeremy asked Lucy again.

"Sirius Black got into the castle," she told him. "He tried to get into our common room, and he slashed the Fat Lady's portrait up when she wouldn't let him in. The Fat Lady disappeared, so none of us could get into our tower."

"Sirius Black?" Jeremy repeated, bewildered. He reached out and touched her shoulder. "Are you all right?"

"Yes," Lucy replied, feeling the butterflies in her stomach again. "Nobody saw him, and he didn't have a chance to hurt anyone."

"Everyone, into your sleeping bags!" Percy shouted above the conversations that had broken out. "Come on, now! No more talking! Lights out in ten minutes!"

Jeremy surprised Lucy by pulling her into a tight but brief hug. Then he said good night and went back over to his Slytherin friends.

"C'mon," Ron said to Lucy, Harry, and Hermione. They all grabbed some sleeping bags and pulled them away from the other students.

"D'you think Black's still in the castle?" Hermione asked worriedly.

"Dumbledore obviously thinks he is," Ron replied.

"Hopefully if he is, the teachers will catch him," Lucy said.

The four of them slid into their sleeping bags.

"It's very lucky he picked tonight, you know," Hermione said. "The one night we weren't in the tower—"

"I reckon he's lost track of time, being on the run," Ron said. "Didn't realize it was Halloween, otherwise he'd have come bursting in here."

Then they were silent for a while as they listened to the students around them brainstorming about how Black had gotten into the castle.

"Maybe he knows how to Apparate," a second-year Ravenclaw said to her friends. "Just appear out of thin air, you know."

"Disguised himself, probably," a fifth-year Hufflepuff said.

"He could have flown in," Dean said from nearby.

"Honestly, am I the _only_ person who's ever bothered to read _Hogwarts, A History_?" Hermione asked, looking slightly annoyed.

"Probably," Ron answered. "Why?"

"This castle's protected by more than _walls_, you know," Hermione explained. "There are all sorts of enchantments on it to stop people entering by stealth. You can't just Apparate in here, and I'd like to see the disguise that could fool those dementors. They're guarding every single entrance to the grounds, and they'd have seen him fly in, too. And Filch knows all the secret passages, so they'll have them covered—"

"The lights are going out now!" Percy announced. "I want everyone in their sleeping bags, and no more talking!"

The candles were extinguished, and the conversations dropped down to whispers.

**~LJ:C~**

Although Lucy didn't keep talking with her friends, she found it difficult to fall asleep. She tossed and turned in her sleeping bag, but she couldn't get comfortable on the floor. Every hour a teacher came in to check on them. The prefects, Kristen, and Percy continued to patrol around the hall.

About halfway through the night, Dumbledore reentered the Great Hall. He walked through the sleeping bags towards Percy, who was very close to Lucy, Harry, Ron, and Hermione. Lucy quickly pretended to be asleep and listened intently to what the headmaster had to say.

"Any sign of him, Professor?" Percy asked.

"No," Dumbledore replied. "All well here?"

"Everything is under control, sir," Percy answered.

"Good. There's no point in moving them all now," Dumbledore sighed. "I've found a temporary guardian for the Gryffindor portrait hole. You'll be able to move them back in tomorrow."

"And the Fat Lady, sir?" Percy prompted.

"Hiding in a map of Argyllsire on the second floor," Dumbledore replied. "Apparently, she refused to let Black in without the password, so he attacked. She's still very distressed, but once she's calmed down, I'll have Mr. Filch restore her."

Then there were footsteps, and a third voice joined the conversation. "Headmaster?" It was Snape. "The whole third floor has been searched. He's not there. Filch has done the dungeons; nothing there, either."

"What about the Astronomy Tower?" Dumbledore asked. "Professor Trelawney's room? The Owlery?"

"All searched," Snape reported.

"Very well, Severus," Dumbledore said. "I didn't really expect Black to linger."

"Have you any theory as to how he got in, Professor?" Snape asked.

Lucy almost lifted her head to look at the professors, but she stopped herself.

"Many, Severus—each as unlikely as the next," Dumbledore replied.

"You remember the conversation we had, Headmaster, just before—ah—the start of term," Snape said.

"I do, Severus," Dumbledore said.

"It seems—almost impossible—that Black could have entered the school without inside help," Snape explained. "I did express my concerns when you appointed—"

"I do not believe a single person inside this castle would have helped Black enter it," Dumbledore replied sharply. "I must go down to the dementors. I said I would inform them when our search was complete."

"Didn't they want to help, sir?" Percy asked.

"Oh, yes," Dumbledore said, "but I'm afraid no dementor will cross the threshold of this castle while I am headmaster."

There were footsteps again, and Lucy cracked her eyes open to see Dumbledore leaving the hall. Snape followed him after a few moments, and Percy continued his rounds. Lucy looked over at her friends, all of whom had their eyes open.

"What was that all about?" Ron breathed.

**~LJ:C~**

The next day, when the Gryffindors went up to their tower, they found that the Fat Lady's portrait had been replaced by a painting of a knight.

"That's Sir Cadogan," Hermione told Lucy. "He helped me, Ron, and Harry find Professor Trelawney's classroom on our first day."

Unfortunately for the Gryffindors, Sir Cadogan had a habit of changing the password multiple times throughout the week. He also liked to challenge students to a duel before they were able to enter the common room. According to Percy, however, Sir Cadogan was the only one who was willing to take over the job.

**~LJ:C~**

At the end of the week, the Gryffindors received another piece of unfortunate news. The Quidditch team had been scheduled to play against Slytherin that Saturday, but the Slytherins had asked to postpone their match. Instead, they would be playing against Hufflepuff.

"What do you mean, the Slytherins are postponing the match?" Ron asked after Harry had told them.

"Apparently, Malfoy's arm is still injured," Harry said darkly. "Oliver thinks that the Slytherins just don't want to play in the rainy weather."

"How could _anyone_ believe that Malfoy's arm is still injured?" Lucy demanded fiercely.

Harry could only shrug.

**~LJ:C~**

The next day—the day before the match—the Gryffindor Captain Oliver Wood practically followed Harry to every class, trying to give him advice for the upcoming match. Lucy, Hermione, and Ron went ahead of him to Defense Against the Dark Arts that afternoon after Oliver cornered him for the third time.

"Do you think Oliver is going to make Harry late for class?" Hermione asked anxiously as she and Lucy sat down at a table together, and Ron sat at the table next to theirs, saving the other seat for Harry.

"Maybe," Lucy replied. "I think Oliver is just upset that they have to play against a different team tomorrow. It changes his entire strategy."

The door to the classroom opened, and the students all turned their heads to see Snape striding down to the front of the room.

"Good afternoon, Gryffindors," he said. "I'm sorry to inform you that Professor Lupin is not feeling well and has asked me to take his classes for the day. Now, if you'll please take out your books, I'm going to look over Professor Lupin's notes to find out where you are."

Snape went to Lupin's desk while the Gryffindors murmured in surprise. There was awkward silence as the class waited for Snape to begin the lesson, but he was busy looking through the papers on Lupin's desk.

Then he finally looked up and started, "It seems as though Professor Lupin hasn't left any record of what you've covered these past few months."

Before he could go on, the classroom door opened, and Harry hurried into the room. "Sorry I'm late, Professor Lupin. I-I—" Harry stuttered to a halt as he realized that Snape was standing at the front of the room.

"This lesson began ten minutes ago, Potter," Snape sneered, "so I think we'll make it ten points from Gryffindor. Sit down."

Lucy wanted to protest; Snape had just wasted the past ten minutes looking through Lupin's desk.

Harry continued standing, frozen in his tracks. "Where's Professor Lupin?" he asked.

"He says he's feeling too ill to teach today," Snape replied. "I believe I told you to sit down?"

Harry didn't move. "What's wrong with him?" he demanded.

"Nothing life-threatening," Snape answered loftily. "Five more points from Gryffindor, and if I have to ask you to sit down again, it will be fifty."

Harry finally walked over and sat down next to Ron.

"As I was saying before Potter interrupted, Professor Lupin has not left any record of the topics you have covered so far," Snape began again.

"Please, sir," Hermione said, putting her hand in the air, "we've done boggarts, Red Caps, kappas, and grindylows, and we're just about to start—"

"Be quiet," Snape interrupted, glaring at Hermione. "I did not ask for information. I was merely commenting on Professor Lupin's lack of organization."

"He's the best Defense Against the Dark Arts teacher we've ever had," Dean piped up, and the rest of the class nodded their agreement.

"You are easily satisfied," Snape scoffed. "Lupin is hardly overtaxing you—I would expect first-years to be able to deal with Red Caps and grindylows. Today, we shall discuss…" He opened the textbook on Lupin's desk and turned to the end of it. Then he said, "Werewolves."

"But, sir," Hermione said, "we're not supposed to do werewolves yet. We're due to start hinkypunks—"

"Miss Granger, I was under the impression that I am teaching this lesson, not you," Snape said. "I am telling you all to turn to page 394." He looked around as all the students stared at him. "_All_ of you! _Now_!"

The class hesitantly opened their books.

"Which of you can tell me how we distinguished between the werewolf and the true wolf?" Snape asked.

Hermione was the only one who put her hand in the air.

Snape ignored her and asked, "Anyone? Are you telling me that Professor Lupin hasn't even taught you the basic distinction between—?"

"We _told_ you," Sally-Anne interrupted him, "we haven't got as far as werewolves yet. We're still on—"

"_Silence_!" Snape barked. "Well, well, well. I never thought I'd meet a third-year class who wouldn't even recognize a werewolf when they saw one. I shall make a point of informing Professor Dumbledore how very behind you all are—"

"Please, sir," Hermione insisted, "the werewolf differs from the true wolf in several small ways. The snout of the werewolf—"

"That is the second time you have spoken out of turn, Miss Granger," Snape said icily. "Five more points from Gryffindor for being an insufferable know-it-all."

Lucy glanced over at her friend and saw the tears that were pooling in Hermione's eyes. Angered, she turned to say something to Snape, but Ron beat her to the punch.

"You asked us a question, and she knew the answer!" he shouted indignantly. "Why ask if you don't want to be told?"

"Detention, Weasley," Snape said. "If I ever hear you criticize the way I teach a class again, you will be very sorry indeed."

The class fell silent, and Snape set them to taking notes out of the textbook. He then retrieved a stack of papers from Lupin's desk and began looking through them. It was their homework on kappas that they had recently turned in, and Snape began to point out all the flaws in their work out loud.

At the end of the class, Snape told them they had homework. "You will each write an essay, to be handed in to me, on the ways you recognize and kill werewolves," he announced. "I want two rolls of parchment on the subject, and I want them by Monday morning. It is time someone took this class in hand. Weasley, stay behind—we need to arrange your detention."

Lucy, Hermione, and Harry left the classroom and waited outside for Ron.

"_It is time someone took this class in hand_," Lucy repeated mockingly. "Well, news flash—it's not up to you! Lupin is doing a great job."

"Snape's never been this way with any of our other Defense Against the Dark Arts teachers, even if he did want the job," Harry said, frowning. "Why's he got it in for Lupin? D'you think this is all because of the boggart?"

"I don't know," Hermione said miserably, "but I really hope Professor Lupin gets better soon.…"

Ron stomped out of the room a few minutes later and joined his friends. "Do you know what that bastard is making me do?" he asked heatedly. "I've got to scrub out the bedpans in the hospital wing. _Without magic_! Why couldn't Black have hidden in Snape's office, eh? He could have finished him off for us!"

**~LJ:C~**

The next morning dawned cold and with thunderstorms. Lucy and Hermione got ready for the match, making sure to put on extra layers to stay warm. The wind howled against the window panes.

"They won't make them play Quidditch in this, will they?" Hermione fretted as they got dressed. "I mean, they could get struck by lightning."

"They don't call off Quidditch for anything," Lucy replied. Hermione shuddered as a large boom of thunder rolled across the sky, and Lucy had to admit that letting the students play Quidditch in this kind of weather didn't seem very safe. "Come on; let's go down to breakfast," she said instead of voicing her concerns. "We should see how Harry's holding up."

The girls left the dormitory and headed down to the Great Hall. The Gryffindor team was sitting together in their Quidditch robes. Lucy and Hermione joined Ron and Neville.

"Is Oliver isolating the team again?" Lucy asked.

"Of course," Ron replied. "They're looking pretty nervous, but it's just Hufflepuff."

"I think it might have a lot to do with the weather," Lucy commented.

Then Jeremy joined them from the Slytherin table. "Excited to watch a match in this downpour?" he asked, grinning.

Lucy couldn't help the smile that grew on her face. "It'll be interesting," she replied. "Are you going to come stand with us?"

"I suppose I will," he said. "I wasn't originally planning on it, but that was when Gryffindor was supposed to play Slytherin." His smile fell, and a look of annoyance crossed his face. "You should have heard Malfoy gloating about it in the common room the past few days."

"I can imagine," Lucy said, glancing across the Great Hall at the Slytherin table, where Malfoy was sitting with his usual gang of friends, looking very smug.

**~LJ:C~**

After breakfast, the Gryffindor team left for the stadium. Lucy, Jeremy, Hermione, Ron, and Neville all left, as well. When they reached the front doors, they saw just how hard it was raining. They pulled their hoods over their heads and made a run for it.

By the time they reached the Quidditch pitch, they were all soaking. Luckily, the stands where they would be watching the game had awnings over the seats. The group shuffled into a row amongst mostly Gryffindor students, waiting for the match to begin.

They could barely make out the Gryffindors and Hufflepuffs walking across the field to shake hands in the center. Madam Hooch was there waiting for them. The teams mounted their broomsticks, and then they were shooting off. The game had begun.

It was nearly impossible to see the players zooming around the pitch. They could also barely hear Lee Jordan announcing the score throughout the stadium.

"There's no way they can see out there!" Lucy shouted to her friends above the noise. "How is Harry ever going to find the Snitch in this?"

Eventually, they saw the Gryffindor team land on the pitch. Oliver had called a time out.

"I've just had an idea!" Hermione cried. She pushed through the crowd and ran out onto the field.

"Why can she never tell us her ideas?" Ron asked, shaking his head.

Hermione reached the Gryffindor team. She was only with them for about a minute before she came running back towards the crowd.

"What was all that about?" Lucy asked as Hermione rejoined them.

"I charmed Harry's glasses, so they would deflect the rain," she replied. "Let's just hope it's done the trick!"

The game continued, and, though it hardly seemed possible, the weather got worse. There was thunder and lightning happening more frequently as the minutes ticked on.

Then Lucy saw Harry turn and streak after the Hufflepuff Seeker Cedric Diggory. "They've seen the Snitch!" she shouted, grabbing onto Jeremy's arm. She felt her cheeks warm, and she let go of him immediately. Then she saw him glance at her from the corner of his eye, and she quickly looked away from him. Instead, she concentrated on Harry and Cedric.

"Lucy!" Hermione screeched. "Lucy, look!"

Lucy tore her eyes away from Harry and looked to the field where Hermione was pointing. Her stomach dropped as she saw a large group of dementors gliding across the field. Then she looked back at Harry, who gave a lurch and slid sideways from his broom.

"HARRY!" Lucy screamed.

The others in the stands around her were pointing towards him, as well. Harry was plummeting from what had to be at least fifty feet in the air.

Suddenly, Dumbledore was charging across the field, his wand held aloft. He waved it at Harry, slowing his fall. Then Dumbledore turned, and a silver mist came out of the end of his wand, as Lupin had done on the Hogwarts Express. The dementors immediately fled from the field.

Madam Hooch was whistling, signaling that the game was over and that Hufflepuff had won. Cedric—who was also the Hufflepuff Captain—landed next to her with the Snitch in his hand and seemed to be talking animatedly with her.

Oliver and the rest of the Gryffindor team swooped down from the air and huddled around Harry. Dumbledore conjured up a stretcher and levitated Harry onto it. Then he was leading the floating stretcher back up to the castle.

Lucy darted from her place in the stands and caught up to the Weasley twins. "What happened?" she asked. "Is Harry all right? Did Professor Dumbledore say anything?"

George put a hand on her shoulder to try and calm her down. "Dumbledore's taking him up to the hospital wing," he said. He paused before saying, "Wait for Fred and me. We'll take you up to the hospital once we put our brooms away."

So, Lucy waited outside the Gryffindor locker room while the team put their things away. Hermione, Ron, and Jeremy all caught up with her.

"Did they say anything?" Hermione asked, her voice shaky.

"I'm waiting for the team," Lucy replied. "They're going to go up to the hospital wing to see him."

As soon as the words were out of her mouth, Fred, George, and the three Chasers—Angelina Johnson, Alicia Spinnet, and Katie Bell—exited the locker rooms.

"Come on," Fred said, beckoning to Harry's friends.

**~LJ:C~**

Lucy and the others followed the Gryffindor team up to the castle, and they hurried to the hospital wing. Madam Pomfrey let them in after they promised to not disturb Harry.

"He's alive?" Angelina blurted, blushing as everyone turned to look at her.

"Yes, of course he's alive," Madam Pomfrey answered. "He's a very lucky boy."

The Gryffindor team and Lucy, Ron, Hermione, and Jeremy gathered around the bed that Harry was lying unconscious in. They stood around in silence for a while before Professor Flitwick entered the hospital wing with a bag.

"Here's what's left of Harry's broomstick," he said in a sad voice.

"What happened?" Hermione gasped as she and the others looked at the bag in shock.

"Well, when he fell, his broom blew into the Whomping Willow," Professor Flitwick explained. "These were all of the pieces we were able to find."

"Thank you, Professor," Lucy said, taking the bag from him.

Professor Flitwick left the ward, so they could have some privacy.

"Lucky the ground was so soft," Ron said.

"I thought he was dead for sure," Angelina said.

"But he didn't even break his glasses," Katie said, pointing to the table where Harry's glasses were sitting.

"That was the scariest thing I've ever seen in my life," Alicia commented.

Suddenly, Harry's eyes popped open.

"Harry!" Fred gasped. "How're you feeling?"

Harry was still for a moment, thinking hard, before launching up into a sitting position. "What happened?" he asked intensely.

"You fell off," Fred answered. "Must've been—what?—fifty feet?"

"We thought you'd _died,"_ Alicia said anxiously.

"But the match," Harry said. "What happened? Are we doing a replay?" Nobody knew what to tell him, and Harry came to the correct conclusion, his eyes wide. "We didn't—_lose_?" he asked, sounding horrified.

"Diggory got the Snitch," George explained. "Just after you fell. He didn't realize what had happened. When he looked back and saw you on the ground, he tried to call it off. He wanted a rematch, but they won fair and square.… Even Wood admits it."

"Where _is_ Wood?" Harry asked, his eyes sweeping across the small crowd of people around his bed.

"Still in the showers," Fred replied. "We think he's trying to drown himself."

Harry pulled his knees up to his chest, put his face on his knees, and grabbed his hair with his hands.

"C'mon, Harry, you've never missed the Snitch before," Fred said, trying to console the Seeker.

"There had to be one time you didn't get it," George reasoned.

"It's not over yet," Fred went on. "We lost by a hundred points, right? So, if Hufflepuff loses to Ravenclaw, and we beat Ravenclaw and Slytherin—"

"Hufflepuff'll have to lose by at least two hundred points," George argued.

"But if they beat Ravenclaw—"

"No way, Ravenclaw is too good. But if Slytherin loses against Hufflepuff—"

"It all depends on the points—a margin of a hundred either way—"

"Boys, enough," Lucy said gently, looking in concern at Harry.

Then Madam Pomfrey came over and shooed the rest of the Gryffindor team out of the hospital wing, telling them Harry needed some peace and quiet.

"We'll come and see you later," Fred said to Harry. "Don't beat yourself up, Harry. You're still the best Seeker we've ever had."

He and the rest of the team left the hospital wing, leaving Lucy, Jeremy, Ron, and Hermione behind.

"So, what happened—exactly?" Harry asked in a rough voice. "When I fell, I mean."

"Dumbledore was really angry," Hermione started. She explained to Harry how Dumbledore had saved him and sent the dementors away.

"Did somebody get my Nimbus?" Harry asked them.

The four other third-years exchanged looks with each other.

"Er—" Ron stopped abruptly, not knowing what to say to his friend.

"What?" Harry pressed.

"Well… when you fell off, it got blown away," Hermione said.

"_And_?" Harry prompted.

"And it hit—" Hermione stammered. "It hit—Oh, Harry—"

"It hit the Whomping Willow," Jeremy finished for her.

Harry closed his eyes. "And?" he repeated.

"Well, you know the Whomping Willow," Ron said. "It—it doesn't like being hit."

"Professor Flitwick brought this back just before you came around," Lucy said gently, leaning down to pick up the bag. She turned it over just above the bed, and out poured the splinters of what was once Harry's broomstick.

**~LJ:C~**


	9. 9: The Truth

_**A/N: Buckle up, buttercups...**_

_**Disclaimer: Harry Potter is not mine.**_

* * *

**Chapter 9 – The Truth**

The next day, Lucy, Ron, and Hermione visited Harry in the hospital wing. Madam Pomfrey insisted on keeping him there through the weekend, and Harry didn't seem too upset about it.

"Here, Harry," Ron said, holding out the bag of candy they had brought Harry from Honeydukes. "We thought maybe some of this would cheer you up a bit."

"Thanks," Harry said, taking the bag. He opened it, fished out some Chocolate Frogs, and handed one to each of his friends.

"Thank you, Harry," Lucy said as she accepted hers.

They all opened them and compared the famous wizard cards inside.

"So, how are you feeling?" Hermione asked.

"I'm a lot better," Harry answered. "Dumbledore slowing my fall and the soft ground really saved me from breaking anything. Madam Pomfrey says that I had bruises all up my back, but as long as I keep taking these couple potions—" He pointed at the two goblets on his bedside table. "—I should be back to one hundred percent by tomorrow morning."

"I still can't believe the dementors came onto the Quidditch pitch like that," Lucy said, shaking her head. "I thought they were supposed to be defending the entrances to the grounds."

"I wish I knew how to get rid of them," Harry said. "You know, like Lupin and Dumbledore did."

Lucy, her mind racing, sprang up from her chair. She knew what she could do to try and help. "I have an idea," she said. "I'll be back in a bit."

Then she hurried from the hospital wing and ran down to Lupin's office.

**~LJ:C~**

As Lucy came to the office, she noticed that the door was open just a crack. She could hear talking coming from inside, and she paused. She recognized Dumbledore's voice immediately.

"—know it's not very easy," he was saying.

"She is _so_ like her parents," Lupin said. "She has her father's eyes in her mother's face. And it's not just _physically_—her personality is nearly a perfect blend of both of theirs." He let out a sigh, and there was a moment of silence. "Seeing her again has made all those feelings come back," he continued. "They would have been such a loving family, and who knows how many more children they may have had?"

Lucy listened closer, curious as to who they were talking about.

"I have found that it is almost never wise to think about what could have been," Dumbledore commented.

"You're right, of course," Lupin agreed. "It's just… I should have been Uncle Remus. No—Uncle Moony. We all should have been a big family together. Then _he_ had to—had to—"

Lucy was surprised to hear that Lupin's voice had gotten angry.

"Sometimes we place our trust in the wrong people," Dumbledore murmured quietly enough that Lucy hardly heard him.

There was silence again.

"I think she's suspicious, you know," Lupin spoke up a minute later. "I can tell by the way she looks at me sometimes. It's like the wheels in her head are turning, but she can't quite put her finger on what it is I know."

Lucy felt herself flush, and she began to wonder if they were possibly talking about _her_. If they weren't, it would be a very strange coincidence.

"Well, you did say that she's like her parents," Dumbledore said with a chuckle.

"It was nearly impossible to keep a secret from her father," Lupin laughed. "He _always_ found out what it was in the end." Another pause. "I noticed that she has her mother's necklace," Lupin said.

"Yes," Dumbledore replied. "I had it sent to her for Christmas during her first year. I figured it would be nice for her to have something from her mother."

Lucy's mouth dropped open. Now she was quite sure that they were talking about her. That meant that Lupin knew who her birth parents had been. She had wanted to know who they'd been for her entire life, and now it seemed that someone with the answer was right on the other side of the door.

"It doesn't seem fair to keep her in the dark," Lupin sighed.

"I know," Dumbledore said heavily. "If Voldemort were to return, however, she would be much safer if nobody knew her true identity."

Lucy decided she'd heard enough. She was tired of hearing that she was safer not knowing who her birth parents had been. After taking a breath, she pushed the office door open and barged into the room.

"Lucy!" Lupin exclaimed, jumping. He looked alarmed, to say the least.

Dumbledore, however, looked as calm and collected as he always did.

"You knew my birth parents," Lucy stated, leveling Lupin with a stare. "This whole time, I couldn't figure out why I thought that you knew me, but now I understand. You knew _them_."

"You—you must have misheard us," Lupin stammered, his eyes darting over to Dumbledore. "We were—we were—"

"Remus," Dumbledore said in a soft yet commanding tone, "I don't think there's any point in pretending that we weren't talking about Lucy."

Lucy, surprised, asked, "Does that mean—? Will you tell me who my birth parents were?" Her heart raced in her chest as she felt her hopes rising.

"I don't think we have much of a choice," Dumbledore replied, sounding almost amused. "Although I must insist that you do not tell anyone—_anyone_—what I'm about to tell you."

"How can I promise something like that?" Lucy asked.

"When I tell you, you'll understand," Dumbledore answered. "Do I have your word?"

It only took Lucy a second to make her decision. "Yes," she said. "Of course."

"Good," Dumbledore said with a nod. "Lucy, you were born Lucy Lily Potter to parents James and Lily Potter."

Lucy felt her eyes widen in shock. Whatever she'd been expecting, it _wasn't_ that she was the daughter of the Potters. As she processed the new information, she realized that this meant that Harry was her _brother_. She said faintly, "So that makes Harry my—my—"

"Your twin brother," Dumbledore confirmed.

Lucy walked forward and fell into the spare chair. "That can't be right," she said, rubbing her temples. "Harry's an only child. Everyone always says so."

"When you and Harry were born, your parents were already in hiding," Dumbledore explained. "Only a few of their closest friends and I knew that Lily had given birth to twins. Since they knew that Voldemort was after them and their one child, they contacted me and asked if there was a way to keep you safe."

Lucy opened her mouth but then shut it again, not entirely sure what she wanted to say.

"Are you all right?" Lupin asked, looking concerned.

"Yeah," Lucy replied. "It's just—I—this is just a lot to process. I didn't think my birth parents were going to be people who were _that _important. And I had no idea that I would have a twin—and not just any twin—I mean, I'm twins with _Harry_ _Potter_!" She looked over at Lupin and asked, "How do you come into all of this, Professor?"

"James and Lily were some of my dearest friends," Lupin replied with a faint smile on his face. "When they made the decision to send you away for your safety, Dumbledore asked me to take you to your new family."

"_You_ took me to America?" Lucy asked.

"Yes," Lupin confirmed.

"It must have been a bit of a shock for you when you saw me and Harry sitting together on the train," Lucy commented.

"My first thought was that maybe you already knew who you were," Lupin said. "Then I found out that you had befriended Harry on your very first train ride to school. It was such an interesting coincidence."

Lucy sat in quiet thought for a few more moments. "I don't know how I'm going to keep this from Harry," she admitted. "I mean, I'm not going to tell him on _purpose_, but what if it slips out accidentally?"

"You can't let it slip accidentally," Dumbledore said, sounding almost sad. "It is very important that your identity remains a secret in case Voldemort returns to power."

"Is that likely?" Lucy asked bluntly.

"It's not a complete impossibility," Dumbledore answered vaguely.

Lucy frowned but decided to drop that subject. She was sure that Dumbledore knew what he was talking about.

"So, how are you feeling?" Lupin asked, looking a bit anxious.

"I'm okay," Lucy replied honestly. "It's settling in. I don't think I'm going to fully believe it until I give it a few days to sink in."

"And was there a reason why you were listening outside my office door?" Lupin questioned.

"Yeah," Lucy replied. "Yeah, I was actually coming to ask you if there was anything you could do to help Harry with the problems he's been having with the dementors. I mean, you're the Defense Against the Dark Arts teacher, and you were able to get the dementor on the train to go away."

Lupin exchanged a look with Dumbledore.

"You know, that might not be such a bad idea," Dumbledore said. "Of course, only as long as you're up to it, Remus."

"I'll see what I can do," Lupin said. "I'll have to think about it."

There was a moment of silence.

"If that's everything, I think I'll be leaving," Dumbledore spoke up. He stood from his chair. "I'll see you at dinner, Remus."

"Of course," Lupin replied with a little bow of his head.

"Oh, and Lucy?" Dumbledore said, and Lucy looked up at the headmaster. "Keep an eye on Harry," he requested. "Make sure he stays safe."

Lucy nodded, and Dumbledore exited the office.

Then Lucy turned back to Lupin. "Professor," she began, "what did you mean by Uncle Moony?"

Lupin looked uneasy. "Moony was the nickname my friends gave me when we were at Hogwarts," he replied. "I always figured that once Voldemort was defeated, we would all be a big family. I always imagined running around after you and Harry like any uncle would. Unfortunately..." Lupin sighed.

"It sounds like it would have been nice," Lucy said quietly. After a beat of silence, she added, "I think I'll be going now. I'm still having a hard time with what to think about all this."

"I'm sorry if this felt sprung on you," Lupin said, sounding genuinely concerned.

"Well, I just had good timing, I guess," Lucy said. "Or maybe it was bad timing, depending on how you want to look at it."

Lupin gave her a sly smile. "Just remember not to tell anyone," he said. "However, I'm always here if you need to talk."

"Thanks, Professor," Lucy said. "I'll see you in class."

"Good-bye, Lucy," Lupin said.

Lucy stood up and left the office.

**~LJ:C~**

She decided to take the long way back to Gryffindor tower, so she could think about everything. The things that Dumbledore and Lupin had told her seemed impossible. It didn't seem believable that she was Harry's twin sister. It did explain why they shared a birthday, though.

Lucy stopped in the middle of an empty corridor. "My parents are Lily and James Potter," she said out loud. It felt so _strange_ to her. She had wanted to find out who her birth parents were for her whole life, and now that she knew… she wasn't sure what to do. She couldn't even tell her best friends—or her adoptive parents, or anyone else—about finding out.

Then Lucy heard footsteps in the stairway nearby. The Gryffindor Quidditch team rounded the corner and walked down the hall towards her.

"Lucy!" George said, waving. "There you are. We were just visiting Harry. Have you seen him today?"

"Erm—yeah," Lucy said. "I was up there with Ron and Hermione, but I needed to go visit Professor Lupin. I was just on my way back to the common room."

The rest of the team had walked past her, but George paused in front of her. "That's where we're headed," he said, grinning.

"George, come on," Fred called from up ahead. "Or are you too scared that I'm going to kick your ass in Exploding Snap?"

"Fancy teaming up to beat my brother at Exploding Snap?" George asked.

Lucy took a breath and was about to decline when she realized that the only way she'd be able to keep her secret was to act normal. "Yeah, sure," she agreed.

She and George caught up to Fred, and the three of them went back to the common room.

**~LJ:C~**

The next day, Harry was let out from the hospital wing. He was with Ron that morning, waiting for Lucy and Hermione so they could all go to breakfast together. Lucy repeatedly reminded herself that all she had to do was act normal, so that nobody would suspect anything.

After breakfast, they headed to their first class of the day: Potions. Malfoy and his cronies were overly gleeful about Gryffindor's defeat.

"I'm so glad my arm is fully healed," Malfoy said loudly, holding up his arm; he'd finally taken off the bandages. "There was no way I could have flown a few days ago with it still injured." He paused and then continued, "Hey, Potter! Remember when the dementors were on the field?" He pulled the hood of his robes over his head and did a dementor imitation.

Ron picked up his crocodile heart and threw it at Malfoy's face. It hit its target, and Malfoy glared across the dungeon. Unfortunately, Snape also saw what had happened, and he took fifty points from Gryffindor.

**~LJ:C~**

After lunch, the third-year Gryffindors walked up to their Defense Against the Dark Arts class.

Ron was still annoyed with what had happened that morning. "If Snape's teaching Defense Against the Dark Arts again, I'm skiving off," he grumbled.

"I think Lupin will be here," Lucy replied. "I saw him yesterday, and he seemed like he was feeling better."

They reached the door to the classroom.

"Check who's in there, Hermione," Ron suggested.

Hermione opened the door and took a look inside. "It's okay!" she announced.

She led the way into the classroom, and they took their usual spots. Lupin looked up and smiled at the class as they sat down.

"Professor Lupin?" Dean asked as class began. "When Professor Snape was here, he assigned us an essay on werewolves. He wants two rolls of parchment turned into him. Do we really have to do it?"

"It's not fair," Ron piped up. "He was only filling in. Why should he give us homework?"

Lucy chimed in, "We don't know anything about werewolves—"

"Two rolls of parchment!" Seamus exclaimed.

"Did you tell Professor Snape we haven't covered them yet?" Lupin asked.

"Yes," Sally-Anne answered, "but he said we were really behind—"

"He wouldn't listen!" Harry said.

"_Two rolls of parchment_!" Seamus repeated.

"Don't worry," Lupin said, smiling slightly. "I'll speak to Professor Snape. You don't have to do the essay."

"Oh, _no_," Hermione groaned. "I've already finished it!"

"We'll be starting hinkypunks today," Lupin began, gesturing to a glass box that was sitting on his desk. Inside was a little creature that looked as though it was made of smoke and holding a lantern. "Lures travelers into bogs," Lupin explained. "You notice the lantern dangling from his hand? Hops ahead—people follow the light—then—"

The hinkypunk made a screeching noise, pressing up against the glass.

**~LJ:C~**

When class was finished and the Gryffindors began to file out of the room, Lupin called, "Wait a moment, Harry. I'd like a word." Lucy whipped around to stare at the professor, but he just nodded at her.

"Lucy, come on," Ron said, and Lucy followed him and Hermione out.

The three of them waited for Harry, and it was only a few minutes before he joined them.

"What was that all about?" Lucy asked immediately.

"Nothing," Harry said. "He was just asking if I was doing all right after the Quidditch match. He's promised to help me learn how to protect myself from the dementors."

"That's great, Harry," Hermione commented, smiling.

"We won't be able to start until next term, but it'll be better than nothing," Harry said. He looked a bit more cheerful than he had in the past few days.

**~LJ:C~**

November turned into December, and the weather continued to get colder. At the end of November, Ravenclaw beat Hufflepuff by a landslide in Quidditch, something that the Gryffindor team was very happy about. Harry was gone so often at Quidditch practice that Lucy, Ron, and Hermione hardly saw him after dinner until late evening every day.

A few weeks before the end of the term, Professor McGonagall went around asking for the names of those who would be staying at Hogwarts for the holidays. Lucy, Hermione, Ron, and Harry all signed up, looking forward to having the common room mostly to themselves.

Another notice went up on the board before the holidays started. There would be another Hogsmeade visit, on the last weekend of term before the Hogwarts Express left with those who would be returning home for Christmas.

"We can do all our Christmas shopping there!" Hermione said excitedly. "Mum and Dad would really love those Toothflossing Stringmints from Honeydukes!"

**~LJ:C~**

When the day of the trip arrived, Lucy and Hermione wrapped themselves up in many layers, and they made sure to wear their beanies and scarves. It had begun snowing the night before, and it seemed to have lasted all night. There was now a light blanket of snow covering the grounds.

After breakfast, Lucy, Ron, and Hermione said good-bye to Harry and joined the line of students leaving the castle. When they had been cleared, they began the walk down the grounds. As they reached the Hogsmeade gate, it started snowing again.

They made their first stop in a trinket shop, so Lucy could find something for her parents for Christmas. They didn't spend long there, as Ron started whining about wanting to go to Honeydukes.

"Okay, okay," Lucy said, rolling her eyes. "We can go to Honeydukes."

Ron gleefully led the way to the candy shop, Lucy and Hermione following him closely.

Honeydukes was very full of Hogwarts students. Lucy, Ron, and Hermione already had their arms full when they decided to find some candy to bring back for Harry.

"What about one of these?" Ron asked, and Lucy and Hermione took a closer look at the lollipops he was pointing at.

"Those are blood-flavored," Lucy said, her nose wrinkling in disgust.

"Ugh, no," Hermione agreed. "Harry won't want one of those. They're for vampires, I expect."

Ron picked up a jar from a shelf nearby and held it out to the girls. "How about these?" he asked.

"Definitely not," a voice from behind them said.

The three of them turned around quickly and found Harry standing there, grinning.

"_Harry_!" Hermione gasped. "_What_ are you doing here? How—how did you—?"

"Wow!" Ron exclaimed. "You've learned to Apparate!"

"'Course I haven't," Harry replied. He lowered his voice and told them about how Fred and George had given him a map of Hogwarts. Then he pulled it out, so they could look at it.

"The Marauder's Map?" Lucy asked, taking it from him. "This is just blank parchment."

"You need to activate it, so to speak," Harry explained. "I don't want to do it in here, though. I'll show you some other time."

Lucy handed it back to him, frowning slightly.

"How come Fred and George never gave it to _me_?" Ron complained. "I'm their brother!"

"But Harry isn't going to keep it!" Hermione insisted. "He's going to hand it in to Professor McGonagall, aren't you, Harry?"

"No, I'm not!" Harry replied, looking appalled that Hermione would even suggest such a thing.

"Are you mad?" Ron asked. "Hand in something that good?"

"If I hand it in, I'll have to say where I got it!" Harry added. "Filch would know Fred and George had nicked it!"

"They've got a point, Hermione," Lucy said.

"But what about Sirius Black?" Hermione asked. "He could be using one of the passages on that map to get into the castle! The teachers have got to know!"

"He can't be getting in through a passage," Harry said. "There are seven secret tunnels on the map, right? Fred and George reckon Filch already knows about four of them. And of the other three—one of them's caved in, so no one can get through it. One of them's got the Whomping Willow planted over the entrance, so you can't get out of it. The one I just came through—well—it's really hard to see the entrance to it down in the cellar, so unless he knew it was there…" Harry trailed off, his brow furrowed in thought.

Ron took this silence to point at a notice that was on the door, stating that dementors would be patrolling the streets of Hogsmeade at night until Black was caught. "See?" he said. "I'd like to see Black try and break into Honeydukes with dementors swarming all over the village. Anyway, Hermione, the Honeydukes owners would hear a break-in, wouldn't they? The live over the shop!"

"Yes," Hermione said, "but—but—" She took and breath and continued, "Look, Harry shouldn't be coming into Hogsmeade. He hasn't got a signed form! If anyone finds out, he'll be in so much trouble! Besides, it's not nightfall yet—what if Sirius Black turns up today? Now?"

"He'd have a job spotting Harry in this," Ron replied, gesturing to the swirling snow outside. "Come on, Hermione—it's Christmas. Harry deserves a break."

"Are you going to report me?" Harry asked, smirking.

"Oh—of course not," Hermione replied. "But honestly, Harry—"

"Hermione's right, Harry. You need to be more careful," Lucy advised.

"Seen the Fizzing Whizbees, Harry?" Ron asked, pulling Harry away to look around Honeydukes. "And the Jelly Slugs? And the Acid Pops? Fred gave me one of those when I was seven—it burnt a hole right through my tongue. I remember Mum walloping him with her broomstick. Reckon Fred'd take a bit of Cockroach Cluster if I told him they were peanuts?"

"Not on your life," Lucy answered, chuckling.

**~LJ:C~**

When they had finished their shopping, Lucy, Ron, and Hermione paid for their candy, and the four of them headed out into the snowstorm. As they walked, Ron and Hermione pointed out the different shops to Harry, shouting over the howling wind.

"Tell you what," Lucy spoke up at last, "let's go to The Three Broomsticks and get some butterbeer."

The other three agreed immediately, and they hurried up the street to the pub. It was crowded inside, full of both residents of the village and Hogwarts students.

"That's Madam Rosmerta," Ron said to Harry, pointing to the bar maid. "I'll get the drinks, shall I?" He blushed slightly.

"Ron _likes_ her," Lucy explained in a stage whisper.

Ron went even more red and hissed, "I _don't_!" He went up to the bar to order while Lucy, Harry, and Hermione found an empty table in the back of the room.

A few minutes later, Ron returned, carrying four mugs of butterbeer and saying, "Happy Christmas!" The four of them touched mugs together and then took a drink. Lucy moaned in satisfaction as the butterbeer filled her with warmth.

She heard the door of the pub open, and Harry choked on his drink. Lucy looked around to see Professors McGonagall and Flitwick entering the bar, followed by Hagrid and the Minister of Magic Cornelius Fudge himself.

Lucy and Ron instantly shoved Harry down under the table. Hermione took her wand out and whispered, "_Mobliarbus_!" The Christmas tree by their table rose up a few inches, and Hermione directed it in front of them, shielding them from view. Lucy, Ron, and Hermione kept their heads bent over their butterbeers as the professors and the minister sat at a table near them.

A moment later, Madam Rosmerta came over to dole out their drinks and announced, "A small gillywater—"

"Mine," Professor McGonagall said.

"Four pints of mulled mead—"

"Ta, Rosmerta," Hagrid said.

"A cherry syrup and soda with ice and umbrella—"

"Mmm!" Professor Flitwick exclaimed.

"So, you'll be the red currant rum, Minister," Madam Rosmerta finished, setting the last drink in front of the minister.

"Thank you, Rosmerta, my dear," Fudge said. "Lovely to see you again, I must say. Have one yourself, won't you? Come and join us.…"

Lucy exchanged a disturbed look with Hermione at the minister's flirting.

"Well, thank you very much, Minister," Madam Rosmerta said before gliding away.

A few minutes later, she came back and sat with the table of adults. "So, what brings you to this neck of the woods, Minister?" she asked with interest.

"What else, m'dear, but Sirius Black?" Fudge sighed quietly. "I daresay you heard what happened up at the school on Halloween?"

"I did hear a rumor," Madam Rosmerta confirmed.

"Did you tell the whole pub, Hagrid?" Professor McGonagall asked.

"Do you think Black's still in the area, Minister?" Madam Rosmerta inquired anxiously.

"I'm sure of it," Fudge replied.

"You know that the dementors have searched the whole village twice?" Madam Rosmerta said. "Scared all my customers away.… It's very bad for business, Minister."

"Rosmerta, m'dear, I don't like them any more than you do," Fudge was quick to reassure her. "Necessary precaution… unfortunate, but there you are.… I've just met some of them. They're in a fury against Dumbledore—he won't let them inside the grounds."

"I should think not!" Professor McGonagall insisted. "How are we supposed to teach with those horrors flying around?"

"Hear, hear!" Professor Flitwick added.

"All the same, they're here to protect you all from something much worse…" Fudge said somberly. "We all know what Black's capable of—"

"Do you know, I still have trouble believing it," Madam Rosmerta mused. "Of all the people to go over to the Dark side, Sirius Black was the last I'd have thought—I mean, I remember him when he was a boy at Hogwarts. If you'd told me then what he was going to become, I'd have said you'd had too much mead."

"You don't know the half of it, Rosmerta," Fudge replied darkly. "The worst he did isn't widely known."

"The worst?" Madam Rosmerta repeated. "Worse than murdering all those poor people, you mean?"

"I certainly do," Fudge said.

"I can't believe that," Madam Rosmerta said. "What could possibly be worse?"

"You say you remember him at Hogwarts, Rosmerta," Professor McGonagall said. "Do you remember who his best friend was?"

"Naturally," Madam Rosmerta chuckled. "Never saw one without the other, did you? The number of times I had them in here—ooh, they used to make me laugh. Quite the double act, Sirius Black and James Potter."

Lucy's mouth fell open, and she heard a faint thud from under their table.

"Precisely," Professor McGonagall answered. "Black and Potter. Ringleaders of their little gang. Both very bright, of course—exceptionally bright, in fact—but I don't think we've ever had such a pair of troublemakers—"

"I dunno," Hagrid cut in. "Fred and George Weasley could give 'em a run fer their money."

"You'd have thought Black and Potter were brothers!" Professor Flitwick agreed. "Inseparable!"

"Of course they were," Fudge said. "Potter trusted Black beyond all his other friends, and nothing changed when they left school. Black was best man when James married Lily. Then they named him godfather to Harry. Harry has no idea, of course. You can imagine how the idea would torment him."

"Oh, no," Lucy breathed. _Does that make him my godfather, too?_ she wondered.

"Since Black turned out to be in league with You-Know-Who?" Madam Rosmerta said in a hushed voice.

"Worse even than that, m'dear…" Fudge said. "Not many people are aware that the Potters knew You-Know-Who was after them. Dumbledore—who was, of course, working tirelessly against You-Know-Who—had a number of useful spies. One of them tipped him off, and he alerted James and Lily at once. He advised them to go into hiding. Well, of course, You-Know-Who wasn't an easy person to hide from. Dumbledore told them that their best chance was the Fidelius Charm."

"How does that work?" Madam Rosmerta asked.

"An immensely complex spell," Professor Flitwick explained, "involving the magical concealment of a secret inside a single, living soul. The information is hidden inside the chosen person—or Secret-Keeper—and is henceforth impossible to find—unless, of course, the Secret-Keeper chooses to divulge it. As long as the Secret-Keeper refused to speak, You-Know-Who could search the village where Lily and James were staying for years and never find them, not even if he had his nose pressed against their sitting room window!"

"So Black was the Potters' Secret Keeper?" Madam Rosmerta guessed.

"Naturally," Professor McGonagall replied, nodding. "James Potter told Dumbledore that Black would die rather than tell where they were. He said that Black was planning to go into hiding himself… and yet, Dumbledore remained worried. I remember him offering to be the Potters' Secret-Keeper himself."

"He suspected Black?" Madam Rosmerta asked.

"He was sure that somebody close to the Potters had been keeping You-Know-Who informed of their movements," Professor McGonagall explained. "Indeed, he had suspected for some time that someone on our side had turned traitor and was passing a lot of information to You-Know-Who."

"But James Potter insisted on using Black?" Madam Rosmerta pressed.

"He did," Fudge answered. "Then, barely a week after the Fidelius Charm had been performed—"

"Black betrayed them?" Madam Rosmerta cut in.

"He did, indeed," Fudge replied. "Black was tired of his double-agent role. He was ready to declare his support openly for You-Know-Who, and he seems to have planned this for the moment of the Potters' death.

"Well, as we all know, You-Know-Who met his downfall in little Harry Potter. Powers gone and horribly weakened, he fled. This left Black in a very nasty position indeed. His master had fallen at the very moment when he, Black, had shown his true colors as a traitor. He had no choice but to run for it—"

"Filthy, stinkin' turncoat!" Hagrid cried.

Many of the occupants of the bar quieted and turned to look at him, and Professor McGonagall hushed him.

"I met him!" Hagrid continued in a quieter voice. "I musta bin the las' ter see him before he killed all them people! It was me wha' rescued Harry from Lily's an' James's house after they was killed! Jus' got him outta the ruins—poor little thing—with a great slash across his forehead, an' his parents dead—

"An' Sirius Black turns up on that flyin' motorbike he used ter ride. Never occurred ter me wha' he was doin' there. I didn' know he'd bin Lily's an' James's Secret-Keeper. Thought he'd jus' heard the news o' You-Know-Who's attack an' come ter see wha' he could do. White an' shakin', he was. And yeh know wha' I did? I COMFORTED THE MURDERIN' TRAITOR!"

"Hagrid, please!" Professor McGonagall scolded. "Keep your voice down!"

"How was I ter know he wasn' upset abou' Lily an' James?" Hagrid said. "It was You-Know-Who he cared abou'! Then he says, _Give Harry ter me, Hagrid. I'm his godfather. I'll look after him._… Ha! But I'd had me orders from Dumbledore, an' I told Black no, Dumbledore said Harry was ter go ter his aunt's an' uncle's. Black argued, but in the end, he gave in. Told me ter take his motorbike ter get Harry there. _I won' need it anymore_, he says."

Hagrid took a deep, shuddering breath and continued, "I shoulda known there was somethin' fishy goin' on then. He loved tha' motorbike. Wha' was he givin' it ter me fer? Why wouldn' he need it anymore? Fact was, it was too easy ter trace. Dumbledore knew he'd bin the Potters' Secret-Keeper. Black knew he was goin' ter have ter run fer it tha' nigh'—knew it was a matter o' hours before the Ministry was after him.

"_But what if I'd given Harry to him, eh_? I bet he'd've pitched him off the bike halfway out ter sea. His bes' friends' son! But when a wizard goes over ter the Dark side, there's nothin' and no one tha' matters to 'em anymore.…"

After a long pause, Madam Rosmerta spoke up, "But he didn't manage to disappear, did he? The Ministry of Magic caught up with him the next day!"

"Alas, if only we had," Fudge replied heavily. "It was not we who found him. It was little Peter Pettigrew—another of the Potters' friends. Maddened by grief, no doubt, and knowing that Black had been the Potters' Secret-Keeper, he went after Black himself."

"Pettigrew…" Madam Rosmerta said, thinking hard. "That little fat boy who was always tagging around after them at Hogwarts?"

"Hero-worshiped Black and Potter," Professor McGonagall confirmed. "Never quite in their league, talent-wise. I was often rather sharp with him. You can imagine how I—how I regret that now.…"

"There, now, Minerva," Fudge said comfortingly. "Pettigrew died a hero's death. Eyewitnesses—Muggles, of course; we wiped their memories later—told us how Pettigrew cornered Black. They say he was sobbing, _Lily and James, Sirius! How could you?_ Then he went for his wand. Well, of course, Black was quicker. Blew Pettigrew to smithereens.…"

"Stupid boy—foolish boy—" Professor McGonagall said sorrowfully. "He was always hopeless at dueling.… He should have left it to the Ministry.…"

"I tell yeh, if I'd got ter Black before little Pettigrew did," Hagrid said angrily, "I wouldn't've messed 'round with wands—I'd've ripped him limb—from—limb."

"You don't know what you're talking about, Hagrid," Fudge said. "Nobody but trained Hit Wizards from the Magical Law Enforcement Squad would have stood a chance against Black once he was cornered. I was Junior Minister in the Department of Magical Catastrophes at the time, and I was one of the first on the scene after Black murdered all those people.

"I—I will never forget it. I still dream about it sometimes. A crater in the middle of the street, so deep it had cracked the sewer below. Bodies everywhere. Muggles screaming. And Black standing there laughing, with what was left of Pettigrew in front of him—a heap of bloodstained robes and a few—a few fragments—"

Fudge had to stop and recompose himself before finishing, "Well, there you have it, Rosmerta. Black was taken away by twenty members of the Magical Law Enforcement Squad, and Pettigrew received the Order of Merlin, First Class, which I think was some comfort to his poor mother. Black's been in Azkaban ever since."

"Is it true he's mad, Minister?" Madam Rosmerta asked.

"I wish I could say that he was," Fudge replied. "I certainly believe that his master's defeat unhinged him for a while. The murder of Pettigrew and all those Muggles was the action of a cornered and desperate man—cruel—pointless.

"Yet I met Black on my last inspection of Azkaban. You know, most of the prisoners in there sit muttering to themselves in the dark; there's no sense in them… but I was shocked at how _normal_ Black seemed. He spoke quite rationally to me. It was unnerving. You'd have thought he was merely bored—asked if I'd finished with my newspaper, cool as you please. He said he missed doing the crossword. Yes, I was astounded at how little effect the dementors seemed to be having on him—and he was one of the most heavily guarded in the place, you know. Dementors outside his door day and night."

"What do you think he's broken out to do?" Madam Rosmerta asked. "Good gracious, Minister, he isn't trying to rejoin You-Know-Who, is he?"

"I daresay that is his—er—eventual plan," Fudge answered, "but we hope to catch Black long before that. I must say, You-Know-Who alone and friendless is one thing… but give him his most devoted servant, and I shudder to think how quickly he'll rise again.…"

There was a moment of silence.

"You know, Cornelius, if you're dining with the headmaster, we'd better head back up to the castle," Professor McGonagall spoke up.

She, Flitwick, Hagrid, and Fudge stood and said their good-byes to Madam Rosmerta before exiting the pub again.

Lucy saw Ron and Hermione lean down to look at Harry under the table, but she couldn't follow suit. She stared at the table in front of her, not knowing what to think. This was just another mountain of new information that she'd had poured onto her, and she almost wished that she hadn't found out who her birth parents were.

**~LJ:C~**

* * *

_**A/N: Boom goes the dynamite!**_

_**So, Lucy knows the truth about her parents now! The original scene of how she found out wasn't very good. This one, I feel, is far better than it was.**_

_**We are now halfway through this story. I hope you're enjoying it so far.**_


	10. 10: Christmastime

_**Disclaimer: Harry Potter is not mine.**_

* * *

**Chapter 10 – Christmastime**

Lucy, Ron, and Hermione escorted Harry back to Honeydukes to be sure that nobody saw him sneak into the cellar.

Once he was gone, Hermione turned to Lucy and Ron, looking fearful. "Do you think he'll be all right?" she asked.

Ron shrugged, and Lucy couldn't think of anything to say, her mind still reeling.

"It's a shock, yeah, but I'm sure he'll be okay," Ron replied. "They'll catch Black and throw him back into Azkaban, and Harry will be safe."

"Lucy?" Hermione asked, nudging Lucy's arm. "Are you okay? You don't look very well."

"What? Oh, yeah, I'm fine," Lucy answered. She shook her head a bit and added, "I'm just a little shocked."

The three Gryffindors walked up the snowy path back to the castle, not trying to talk over the howling wind.

When they reached the school, Lucy knew what she had to do next. "I'll catch up with you in a bit," she said. "I need to go see someone." Hermione and Ron exchanged confused looks, but Lucy took off up the marble staircase before they could say anything.

**~LJ:C~**

When she reached Lupin's office, Lucy knocked urgently on his door.

"Come in," Lupin called.

Lucy pushed the door open and entered the room. She shut the door behind her before turning to the professor. "Sirius Black betrayed my parents," she said. "That's why he killed all those people and went to Azkaban."

There was a beat of silence while Lupin stared at her. "Where did you hear about that?" he asked, frowning.

"I overheard Professors McGonagall, Flitwick, and Hagrid talking about it with the Minister of Magic in the Three Broomsticks this afternoon," Lucy answered.

"You certainly have a knack for listening to conversations that you aren't meant to hear," Lupin commented, sounding amused.

Lucy went over to one of the chairs and sat down opposite the desk from him. "I've always been good at that," she said dryly. "So, you were friends with Black when you were in school, too?"

"Yes," Lupin replied heavily. "There were four of us. James, Sirius, me, and Peter. I'm sure you've heard about Peter by now, yes?"

"He tried to stop Black from getting away," Lucy said. "How could Black have been your friend and then done this to you?"

"There was a war," Lupin said simply. "We knew that someone had betrayed our side, but nobody knew who it was. People began to turn on each other. We all suspected one another. Sirius always said that he hated the Dark side, and I'll be the first one to admit that I don't know why—or when—he changed his mind."

"Madam Rosmerta—she was talking with them in the pub, too—said that she had a hard time believing that Black would do what he did," Lucy said.

"Something happened to him," Lupin said. "Something happened to _all_ of us. I wish I knew what had caused him to change, but to this day, I don't."

"They also said that Black is Harry's godfather," Lucy mumbled.

"Yes," Lupin replied.

"Does that mean... Does that mean he's mine, too?" Lucy asked, although she already had a suspicion about what the answer was.

"Yes," Lupin repeated. Lucy stayed silent for a moment, and Lupin added, "Are you all right?"

"I've just learned a lot of new information in a short period of time," Lucy answered. "My head is spinning a little bit." She glanced at the clock on the office wall. "I suppose I'd better go. It's nearly dinner time."

"Don't worry too much about Sirius Black," Lupin said. "This castle is well-protected."

"That may be, but he's already broken in once," Lucy pointed out. She stood up and stretched. "I'll see you later, Professor."

"Good-bye, Lucy," Lupin said.

**~LJ:C~**

Back in Gryffindor Tower, Lucy met up with Harry, Ron, and Hermione again.

"Is everything okay?" Hermione asked.

"Yeah," Lucy replied. "Nothing to worry about. Shall we go to dinner?"

The other three agreed, and they went down to the Great Hall together.

All throughout dinner, Ron and Hermione seemed very insistent on keeping the conversation topics off Sirius Black. Lucy and Harry didn't say very much, as they were both thinking about what they'd overheard.

After dinner back in the common room, Fred and George let off some fireworks to celebrate the end of the term. Harry disappeared up to the dormitories, but Lucy, Hermione, and Ron remained in the common room. Ron and Hermione started a game of chess; Hermione was determined to beat Ron someday. Lucy sat with the twins, challenging them to eat different Bertie Botts beans.

Ron beat Hermione in chess quite easily, putting Hermione in a frustrated mood. "I'm going to check on Harry," Ron announced, getting up. He disappeared up the stairs to the boys' dormitory.

"So, did Harry get to Hogsmeade today?" Fred asked as Lucy handed George a brown jelly bean.

"Yeah, he did," Lucy answered.

"I can't believe you two gave him that map," Hermione said, frowning. "Harry's not supposed to visit Hogsmeade without a signed form."

"Lighten up, Hermione," Fred said. "We just wanted him to have some fun before the holidays began."

George took a nibble on the brown bean and gagged quietly.

Lucy laughed at him before turning to Fred. "Hermione's right, you know," she said. "He needs to be more careful. If a teacher saw him, he could have gotten into a lot of trouble."

"But look on the bright side," George said. "He wasn't seen by any teachers."

Lucy rolled her eyes at him.

Ron rejoined them, descending from the boys' staircase. "He was in bed with the curtains pulled," he reported. "I think he's gone to sleep."

**~LJ:C~**

A little while later, Fred and George joined a group of their friends, leaving Lucy, Ron, and Hermione alone in front of the fireplace.

"I'm worried about Harry," Hermione admitted. "What if he wants to try and find Black on his own?"

"Would Harry really do that?" Ron asked doubtfully. "I know that Black betrayed his parents, but he has to know that a thirteen-year-old wizard-in-training is no match for that lunatic. He blew up a whole street of people! What would Harry expect to do to him?"

"If he's thinking about revenge, it's going to cloud his judgment," Lucy said quietly. "Besides, how can you blame him? If Black hadn't given away their location, his parents might still be alive." _My parents might still be alive_, she thought to herself.

"Well, if Harry's thinking about revenge, we need to talk him out of it," Ron insisted. "We can't let him run off and get himself killed."

Hermione nodded, and the two of them looked to Lucy.

"We can try," Lucy agreed.

**~LJ:C~**

The next morning, Lucy and Hermione met Ron in the common room.

"Harry's fast asleep upstairs," Ron reported. "Hopefully after some rest, he'll feel better about yesterday."

"Come on—let's go get some breakfast," Lucy said.

The three of them went down and had breakfast. Harry never came down to join them.

**~LJ:C~**

After breakfast, those who were going home for the holidays were in the entrance hall, saying farewells to friends who were remaining in the castle. Lucy, Hermione, and Ron said good-bye to the rest of the Weasleys, who were going back to the Burrow.

"Jeremy!" Lucy called, spotting the Slytherin through the crowd.

Jeremy turned and smiled when he saw her, and her heart beat accelerated a bit as he walked over. "Staying here for the holidays?" he asked.

"Yeah," Lucy replied. "We figured we'd take advantage of the castle being nearly empty to get some relaxation in."

"That sounds more enjoyable than my plans," Jeremy said, a slight bitter edge to his voice. "Mum insisted that I come home to visit this year, since I stayed here last year."

"It won't be that bad, will it?" Lucy asked.

"Don't get me wrong—I love my mother," Jeremy said. "It's the extended family that's going to get on my nerves. A few weeks in France wouldn't be so bad if my family wasn't so… old-fashioned."

"Old-fashioned?" Lucy repeated.

"Blood purity," Jeremy elaborated. "My mother's family emphasized it a lot. They all made respectable marriages. Except for my aunt Zoé—she went off to the States and married a half-blood. Needless to say, she _won't_ be at Christmas."

"Well, I hope you have a good holiday, considering," Lucy said.

Jeremy grinned and stepped forward to give Lucy a hug. The butterflies in her stomach fluttered to life as she accepted his embrace.

"I'll see you when I get back," Jeremy added as he pulled away. "Happy Christmas."

"Merry Christmas," Lucy replied.

Jeremy turned and joined the rest of the school, which was moving towards the front doors of the castle. Lucy, Hermione, and Ron trooped back up the main staircase.

**~LJ:C~**

When they returned to the common room, Ron checked on Harry, but he was still asleep. Hermione immediately set to work on homework, and Lucy decided to do the same. She figured that if she got her homework done now, she wouldn't have to worry about doing it the night before term started up again. Ron, on the other hand, spent the rest of the morning eating his candy from Honeydukes.

Just before lunch, they heard footsteps on the dormitory stairs. They all turned to see Harry emerging from the boys' staircase.

"Harry," Hermione breathed in relief. "You—you look terrible."

"Thanks, Hermione," Harry replied, smirking. "Where is everyone?"

"Gone!" Lucy answered. "It's the first day of the break, remember?"

"It's nearly lunchtime," Ron added. "I was going to come up and wake you in a minute."

Harry dropped into a seat in front of the fire.

"You really don't look well, you know," Hermione commented again.

"I'm fine," Harry said firmly.

"Harry, listen," Hermione started, "you must be really upset about what we heard yesterday. The thing is, you mustn't go doing anything stupid."

"Like what?" Harry asked.

"Like trying to go after Black," Ron answered bluntly.

"You won't, will you, Harry?" Hermione asked, looking concerned.

"Black's not worth dying for," Ron added.

"D'you know what I see and hear every time a dementor gets too near me?" Harry asked. "I can hear my mum screaming and pleading with Voldemort. If you heard your mum screaming like that, just about to be killed, you wouldn't forget it in a hurry. And if you found out someone who was supposed to be a friend of hers betrayed her and sent Voldemort after her—"

Lucy closed her eyes tightly, not wanting to hear about how her mother died.

"There's nothing you can do!" Hermione said hurriedly. "The dementors will catch Black, and he'll go back to Azkaban and—and serve him right!"

"You heard what Fudge said," Harry argued. "Black isn't affected by Azkaban like normal people are. It's not a punishment for him like it is for the others."

"So, what are you saying?" Ron asked. "You want to—to kill Black or something?"

"Don't be silly," Hermione said, her voice a bit higher than usual. "Harry doesn't want to kill anyone, do you, Harry?"

Harry didn't respond for a few seconds. "Malfoy knows," he said suddenly. "Remember what he said to me in Potions? _If it was me, I'd hunt him down myself.… I'd want revenge._"

"You're going to take Malfoy's advice instead of ours?" Ron said in disbelief. "Listen… you know what Pettigrew's mother got back after Black had finished with him? Dad told me—the Order of Merlin, First Class, and Pettigrew's finger in a box. That was the biggest bit of him they could find. Black's a madman, Harry, and he's dangerous—"

"Malfoy's dad must have told him," Harry muttered to himself. "He was right in Voldemort's inner circle—"

"_Say You-Know-Who, will you_?" Ron hissed.

"—so obviously," Harry continued, "the Malfoys knew Black was working for Voldemort—"

"Malfoy'd love to see you blown into about a million pieces, like Pettigrew!" Ron insisted. "Get a grip! Malfoy's just hoping you'll get yourself killed before he has to play you in Quidditch."

"Harry, _please_," Hermione said. "_Please_ be sensible. Black did a terrible, terrible thing, but don't put yourself in danger. It's what Black wants.… Oh, Harry, you'd be playing right into Black's hands if you went looking for him. Your mum and dad wouldn't want you to get hurt, would they? They'd never want you to go looking for Black!"

"I'll never know what they'd have wanted, because thanks to Black, I've never spoken to them," Harry said coldly.

"_Shut up_!" Lucy screamed, jumping up. She had promised Dumbledore to keep an eye on Harry—to try and keep him safe—and she couldn't stand listening to him saying these things. "Just _shut up_, Harry! Getting revenge on Black won't bring your parents back to life, and it'll probably just get you killed in the process. We might not understand what you're going through, but you're not understanding that Sirius Black is a fully-grown man who could kill you in two seconds flat while you stood there trying to disarm him! _Get that through your head! If you hunt down Sirius Black, you will be killed_!"

Harry stared at her, and Hermione and Ron both looked hopeful that Lucy's speech would be enough.

After a while of nobody saying anything, Ron said, "Look, it's the holidays! It's Christmas! Let's—let's go down and see Hagrid. We haven't visited him in ages!"

"No!" Hermione disagreed. "Harry isn't supposed to leave the castle, Ron—"

"Yeah, let's go," Harry said, "and I can ask him how come he never mentioned Black when he told me all about my parents!"

"Obviously he was trying to protect you, Harry," Lucy said, glaring at him.

"We could have a game of chess," Ron said, desperately trying to change the subject, "or Gobstones. Percy left a set—"

"No, let's visit Hagrid," Harry insisted.

The others reluctantly agreed to join him, and they gathered their winter clothes before setting off.

**~LJ:C~**

Unfortunately, they hadn't thought their plan entirely through. The grounds were covered in snow, and there was no path to Hagrid's hut. They plodded through the snow, their feet freezing after only a few steps.

When they reached Hagrid's, Ron knocked on the door. They waited for a few moments, but there was no answer.

"He's not out, is he?" Hermione asked, her teeth chattering.

Ron put his ear up to the door, frowning in confusion. After a moment, he reported, "There's a weird noise. Listen—is that Fang?"

Harry put his ear up to the door, as well.

"Think we'd better go and get someone?" Ron asked.

Harry raised his fist and banged on the door. "Hagrid!" he called. "Hagrid, are you in there?"

They heard Hagrid's footsteps come towards the door, and then Hagrid opened it, his eyes bloodshot and wet. "Yeh've heard?" he asked gruffly before throwing his arms around Harry and sobbing.

Noticing that Hagrid's weight was about to crush Harry, Lucy and Ron grabbed Hagrid by his arms and pushed him back into his hut. They guided him to one of the chairs at the dining table, and he fell into it, tears coursing down his face and into his beard.

"Hagrid, what _is_ it?" Hermione insisted, sounding alarmed.

"What's this, Hagrid?" Harry asked, pointing to a letter sitting on the table.

Hagrid pushed the letter towards Harry, and Harry began to read it to the others.

_Dear Mr. Hagrid,_

_Further to our inquiry into the attack by a hippogriff on a student in your class, we have accepted the assurances of Professor Dumbledore that you bear no responsibility for the regrettable incident._

"Well, that's okay, then, Hagrid!" Ron said, grinning.

Hagrid, still crying, waved at Harry to finish reading the letter.

_However, we must register our concern about the hippogriff in question. We have decided to uphold the official complaint of Mr. Lucius Malfoy, and this matter will therefore be taken to the Committee for the Disposal of Dangerous Creatures. The hearing will take place on April 20th, and we ask you to present yourself and your hippogriff at the Committee's offices in London on that date. In the meantime, the hippogriff should be tethered and isolated._

"That son of a—" Lucy muttered darkly. "I can't believe they'd do anything for Lucius Malfoy after he gave Ginny that diary last year."

"You said Buckbeak isn't a bad hippogriff, Hagrid," Ron reasoned. "I bet he'll get off—"

"Yeh don' know them gargoyles at the Committee fer the Disposal o' Dangerous Creatures!" Hagrid wailed. "They've got it in fer interestin' creatures."

A cracking noise came from the back of Hagrid's hut, and the four Gryffindors whirled around to find Buckbeak lying in the corner, eating something.

"I couldn' leave him tied up out there in the snow!" Hagrid cried. "All on his own! At Christmas…"

"You'll have to put up a good strong defense, Hagrid," Hermione said. "I'm sure you can prove Buckbeak is safe."

"Won't make no diff'rence!" Hagrid said miserably. "Them disposal devils, they're all in Lucius Malfoy's pocket! Scared o' him! An' if I lose the case, Buckbeak—" He took his finger and drew it across his throat. Then he put his head back onto the table and cried some more.

"What about Dumbledore, Hagrid?" Harry suggested.

"He's done more'n enough fer me already," Hagrid said. "Got enough on his plate wha' with keepin' them dementors outta the castle, an' Sirius Black lurkin' 'round.…"

Lucy, Ron, and Hermione glanced at Harry, wondering if he would ask about Black now.

"Listen, Hagrid," Harry said, "you can't give up. Hermione's right. You just need a good defense."

"You can call us as witnesses!" Lucy chimed in, nodding vigorously. She was relieved that Harry hadn't brought up Black.

"I'm sure I've read about a case of hippogriff-baiting where the hippogriff got off," Hermione added. "I'll look it up for you, Hagrid, and see exactly what happened."

Hagrid sobbed harder, and Lucy, Harry, and Hermione looked at Ron desperately.

"Er—shall I make a cup of tea?" Ron asked. The rest of them stared at him questioningly, and he added, "It's what my mum does whenever someone's upset."

Ron hurried to make the tea, while Lucy, Harry, and Hermione continued to try and convince Hagrid that they would help him.

"Yer righ'," Hagrid finally said, sitting up. "I can' afford ter go ter pieces. Gotta pull meself together.… I've not bin meself lately. Worried abou' Buckbeak an' no one likin' me classes—"

"We _do_ like them!" Hermione said instantly.

"Yeah, they're great!" Ron added. "Er—how are the flobberworms?"

"Dead," Hagrid stated flatly. "Too much lettuce."

"Oh, no!" Ron said, trying not to laugh.

"An' them dementors make me feel ruddy terrible an' all," Hagrid continued. "Gotta walk past 'em ev'ry time I wan' a drink in the Three Broomsticks. 'S like bein' back in Azkaban.…" He stopped and took a deep drink of tea.

"Is it awful in there, Hagrid?" Hermione asked quietly.

"Yeh've no idea," Hagrid replied. "Never bin anywhere like it. Thought I was goin' mad. Kep' goin' over horrible stuff in me mind—the day I got expelled from Hogwarts—day me dad died—day I had ter let Norbert go.… Yeh can' really remember who yeh are after a while, an' yeh can' see the point o' livin' at all. I used ter hope I'd jus' die in me sleep.…

"When they let me out, it was like bein' born again. Ev'rythin' came floodin' back; it was the bes' feelin' in the world. Mind, the dementors weren' keen on lettin' me go."

"But you were innocent!" Lucy exclaimed.

"Think tha' matters to 'em?" Hagrid said. "They don' care. Long as they've got a couple hundred humans stuck there with 'em, so they can leech all the happiness out of 'em, they don' give a damn who's guilty an' who's not."

Hagrid paused, looking into his tea cup, before continuing, "Thought o' jus' lettin' Buckbeak go—tryin' ter make him fly away—but how d'yeh explain ter a hippogriff it's gotta go inter hidin'? An'—an' I'm scared o' breakin' the law.… I don' ever want ter go back ter Azkaban."

"I don't blame you," Lucy said quietly, shuddering at the thought of being stuck in a place with dementors.

**~LJ:C~**

The next day, they went up to the library and checked out any books they thought would help Hagrid with his case for Buckbeak. Sitting in front of the fire in the Gryffindor common room, they started reading, only speaking when they found something they thought could be helpful. Hermione took notes whenever this happened.

As the days crept closer to Christmas, the castle was decorated as magnificently as ever. There were only a handful of students to enjoy it, however.

Christmas morning dawned cold but bright, the sun glinting off the fresh snow. Lucy and Hermione opened their presents eagerly. They both received hand-knitted sweaters from Mrs. Weasley and a lot of candy.

After all their presents were opened, Lucy and Hermione decided to go see if Ron and Harry were awake. Lucy let Evie crawl onto her shoulders, and Hermione picked Crookshanks up.

"Do you really think you should take him up to the boys' dorm?" Lucy asked tentatively.

"Why not?" Hermione replied, frowning.

"Well—I mean—Ron's just going to get upset," Lucy said. "Wouldn't it be easier to just leave Crookshanks here?"

"Crookshanks isn't going to do anything," Hermione brushed off, heading for the door.

Lucy mentally shrugged; she'd tried.

So, the two girls went down their staircase and then straight back up the boys' staircase. When they pushed open the door to the boys' dormitory, Harry and Ron were laughing about something.

"What're you two so happy about?" Hermione asked as they crossed the threshold.

Ron glared at Crookshanks in her arms and snapped, "Don't bring him in here!" He rummaged around in his bed before pulling Scabbers out from under the sheets and stuffing him in his pajama pocket.

Hermione ignored him, letting Crookshanks down onto the bed next to Ron's.

"_Harry_!" Lucy exclaimed, looking at the package on Harry's bed. "Who sent you _that_?" A brand-new broomstick was lying on the bed, and if Lucy wasn't mistaken, it was the Firebolt that Harry had spent the end of the summer looking at in the Quidditch shop.

"No idea," Harry replied. "There wasn't a card or anything with it."

Lucy frowned suspiciously. She glanced at Hermione, who was looking uncertain, as well.

"What's the matter with you?" Ron asked, also looking at Hermione.

"I don't know," Hermione started, "but it's a bit odd, isn't it? I mean, this is supposed to be quite a good broom, right?"

"It's the best broom there is, Hermione," Ron said patronizingly.

"So it must've been really expensive…" Hermione trailed off.

"It probably costs more than all the Slytherins' brooms put together," Ron said in a satisfactory tone.

"Well… who'd send Harry something as expensive as that and not even tell him they sent it?" Hermione asked.

"Who cares?" Ron asked. "Listen, Harry, can I have a go on it? Can I?"

"I don't think anyone should ride that broom just yet!" Hermione insisted.

"What d'you think Harry's going to do with it—sweep the floor?" Ron shot back.

Suddenly, Crookshanks leapt at Ron from the next bed.

"GET—HIM—OUT—OF—HERE!" Ron screamed angrily as Crookshanks tore at Ron's pajamas.

Scabbers jumped out of Ron's pocket and tried to make a break for it, but Ron hopped up and snagged him by the tail. Then Ron attempted to kick Crookshanks away, but he missed and ended up knocking Harry's trunk over.

A shrill sound overcame the room, causing Evie to hiss from Lucy's shoulders. Crookshanks backed away from the source of the noise. Harry's Sneakoscope had rolled out of the trunk and the socks it had been wrapped in and was spinning wildly on the floor.

"I forgot about that!" Harry exclaimed. "I never wear those socks if I can help it—"

"You'd better get that cat out of here, Hermione," Ron scowled.

Hermione scooped up Crookshanks and stalked from the room. Lucy decided to follow her, as Evie was still hissing at the Sneakoscope.

"Who do you think sent Harry that broom?" Hermione asked as they entered the common room.

"I don't know," Lucy admitted. "I didn't. You didn't. Ron didn't.… Harry's aunt and uncle certainly didn't. Hagrid didn't, and none of the teachers did.… Maybe some distant relative?"

"I think Sirius Black may have sent it," Hermione stated.

"What?" Lucy exclaimed.

"It would be the perfect way to get at Harry and possibly put him in danger," Hermione explained. "Anyone else would have at least left a note."

"I—I don't know, Hermione…" Lucy said. "How would Sirius Black buy a broomstick in the first place? It's not like he can waltz into the store and buy it—not with the entirety of the Wizarding world on alert for him, anyway."

"I'm going to talk to Professor McGonagall about this," Hermione insisted. "I'll do it after Christmas dinner."

"Don't you think that Harry would be upset if you went to Professor McGonagall behind his back?" Lucy asked uncertainly.

"He might be, but I'm just trying to take precautions!" Hermione answered.

Lucy sighed. "You do what you think is best," she said. "I still think you should talk to Harry about it first."

"I think I'm going to put Crookshanks in our dormitory," Hermione said, ignoring Lucy's advice. "I don't want to give Ron any more reasons to try and hurt him."

She disappeared for the girls' staircase, and Lucy sank onto the couch in front of the fire. Evie leapt down onto her lap, and Lucy started to pet her.

Harry and Ron entered the common room a few minutes later. Harry had his new broomstick with him, and he carried it over to where Lucy was sitting.

"Isn't it amazing?" Harry asked, setting it on the table in front of the couch. "I can't wait to take it for a fly."

"It looks very sleek," Lucy agreed. She reached over and touched the handle.

"The Slytherin team isn't going to know what hit them," Ron gloated. "There is no way they are going to beat us when we have a Firebolt on our team! How much faster do you reckon this broom is compared to the Nimbus Two Thousand and Ones?"

The boys continued to talk about brooms and Quidditch, while Lucy sat back and petted Evie. Hermione had come back down to the common room a few minutes after the boys, but she sat on the other side of the room doing her homework.

**~LJ:C~**

Around lunch time, the four of them trooped down to the Great Hall to celebrate Christmas with whoever was left in the castle. When they entered the hall, they were surprised to find that the house tables had been pushed up against the walls. There was now only one table, currently set for twelve, at the front of the room. Sitting around the table were Professors Dumbledore, McGonagall, Sprout, Snape, Flitwick, and Hagrid. There were also two small Hufflepuff first-years, looking intimidated to be dining so close to their teachers.

"Merry Christmas!" Dumbledore greeted the Gryffindors as they joined the small group. "As there are so few of us, it seemed foolish to use the house tables.… Sit down, sit down!"

Lucy, Harry, Ron, and Hermione all took seats at the end of the table.

"Crackers!" Dumbledore exclaimed, holding out the end of one to Snape.

Snape grudgingly took hold and pulled, and a witch's hat with a stuffed vulture atop it came springing from the inside. Lucy, Harry, and Ron grinned, remembering Neville's boggart, and Snape instantly pushed the hat to Dumbledore.

Dumbledore gladly put it on his head in place of his own hat. "Dig in!" he announced.

Everyone had just begun to fill their plates when the Great Hall doors opened again.

"Sibyll, this is a pleasant surprise!" Dumbledore said, standing to greet the woman who had entered.

"That's Professor Trelawney," Hermione breathed in Lucy's ear, and Lucy nodded her understanding.

"I have been crystal gazing, Headmaster," Professor Trelawney said, "and to my astonishment, I saw myself abandoning my solitary luncheon and coming to join you. Who am I to refuse the promptings of fate? I at once hastened from my tower, and I do beg you to forgive my lateness—"

"Certainly, certainly," Dumbledore replied merrily. "Let me draw you up a chair.…" He waved his wand and conjured a chair in between Snape and Professor McGonagall.

Professor Trelawney seemed to hesitate, looking fearful. "I dare not, Headmaster!" she exclaimed. "If I join the table, we shall be thirteen! Nothing could be more unlucky! Never forget that when thirteen dine together, the first to rise will be the first to die!"

"We'll risk it, Sibyll," Professor McGonagall said shortly. "Do sit down. The turkey's getting stone cold."

Professor Trelawney sat gingerly in the chair, as though she thought as soon as she had settled, something terrible would happened.

Professor McGonagall, however, simply said, "Tripe, Sibyll?"

Professor Trelawney did not answer; she merely took a look around the table again. "Where is dear Professor Lupin?" she asked.

"I'm afraid the poor fellow is ill again," Dumbledore explained. "Most unfortunate that it should happen on Christmas Day."

"But surely, you already knew that, Sibyll?" Professor McGonagall asked.

"Certainly, I knew, Minerva," Professor Trelawney answered airily. "One does not parade the fact that one is All-Knowing. I frequently act as though I am not possessed of the Inner Eye, so as not to make others nervous."

"That explains a great deal," Professor McGonagall muttered before taking a few gulps from her goblet.

"If you must know, Minerva," Professor Trelawney continued, losing her cool slightly, "I have seen that poor Professor Lupin will not be with us for very long. He seems aware, himself, that his time is short. He positively fled when I offered to crystal gaze for him—"

"Imagine that," Professor McGonagall said dryly.

"I doubt," Dumbledore spoke up, putting an end to Professors Trelawney's and McGonagall's conversation, "that Professor Lupin is in any immediate danger. Severus, you've made the potion for him again?"

"Yes, Headmaster," Snape confirmed.

"Good," Dumbledore said. "Then he should be up and about in no time.… Derek, have you had any of these chipolatas? They're excellent."

One of the first-years went bright red at being personally addressed by Dumbledore.

**~LJ:C~**

The rest of dinner went by without any more arguments breaking out. The food was delicious, and Lucy filled herself until she could eat no more. When they were finished eating, Harry and Ron both stood from the table, and Professor Trelawney let out a cry.

"My dears!" she said. "Which of you left his seat first? Which?"

"Dunno," Ron answered, looking nervous.

"I doubt it will make much difference," Professor McGonagall said, "unless a mad axe-man is waiting outside the doors to slaughter the first into the entrance hall."

Lucy, Ron, and Hermione all let out a laugh at that, while Professor Trelawney looked offended.

"Coming?" Harry asked Lucy and Hermione.

"Yes," Lucy replied, standing up.

"No," Hermione answered. "I want a quick word with Professor McGonagall."

Lucy pursed her lips but didn't say anything.

"We'll see you back in the common room, then," Ron said.

**~LJ:C~**

Lucy, Harry, and Ron sat down in front of the fire in Gryffindor Tower again. The Firebolt was still sitting in the middle of the table, and Harry and Ron continued to admire it. Lucy wasn't sure how much longer they could stare at a broomstick, since they had done it all morning.

Eventually, Professor McGonagall and Hermione entered the common room. Hermione hurried over to the table where her things were still sitting and promptly hid her face behind a book.

"So, that's it, then?" Professor McGonagall asked, walking over to where Lucy, Harry, and Ron were sitting. "Miss Granger has just informed me that you have been sent a broomstick, Potter." Harry and Ron exchanged a confused look, and Professor McGonagall requested, "May I?" She picked up the broom without waiting for Harry's response and weighed it in her hands. "Hmm. There was no note at all, Potter? No card? No message of any kind?"

"No," Harry admitted, still looking confused.

"I see…" Professor McGonagall said. "Well, I'm afraid I will have to take this, Potter."

"Wh-what?" Harry exclaimed, jumping up to his feet. "Why?"

"It will need to be checked for jinxes," Professor McGonagall explained. "Of course, I'm no expert, but I daresay Madam Hooch and Professor Flitwick will strip it down—"

"Strip it down?" Ron repeated faintly.

"It shouldn't take more than a few weeks," Professor McGonagall finished. "You will have it back if we are sure it is jinx-free."

"There's nothing wrong with it!" Harry said. "Honestly, Professor—"

"You can't know that, Potter," Professor McGonagall said softly. "Not until you've flown it, at any rate, and I'm afraid that is out of the question until we are certain that it has not been tampered with. I shall keep you informed."

Gripping the Firebolt, Professor McGonagall turned and left the common room, leaving Harry and Ron watching her go with dropped jaws.

"_What did you go running to McGonagall for_?" Ron shouted, looking furiously across the room at Hermione.

Hermione put the book down and stared back at Ron. "Because I thought—and Professor McGonagall agrees with me—that that broom was probably sent to Harry by Sirius Black!"

**~LJ:C~**

* * *

_**A/N: I thought it was important that Lucy have a conversation with Lupin about what she overheard, no matter how brief. And she needed to have it confirmed that Sirius is indeed her godfather, as well.**_

_**Also, you learn a tad bit more about Jeremy's family in this chapter.**_

_**Originally, Lucy basically took Hermione's side completely when it came to the drama between Hermione and Ron. I didn't like how it turned out, so I've edited it so that Lucy tries to stay out of it and remain friends with both parties. Therefore, she tries to gently suggest that Hermione should leave Crookshanks behind (although, obviously, it doesn't work) and she tells Hermione to do what she thinks is best but doesn't get involved.**_


	11. 11: Friendships Tested

_**Disclaimer: Harry Potter is not mine.**_

* * *

**Chapter 11 – Friendships Tested**

The end of the holiday break was very tense. Harry and Ron were upset with Hermione about the Firebolt being taken away. Lucy wanted to stay out of it as much as possible; she understood where Hermione was coming from, but she didn't think that Hermione had gone about it the right way.

Lucy spent most of the remainder of the break with Hermione in the library doing homework and research for Buckbeak's case. Hermione seemed grateful for the company, and Lucy was just happy that she was upholding her promise to Hagrid.

On the last day of the holidays, Lucy and Hermione visited Hagrid to bring him the research that they'd found so far.

"Where are Harry an' Ron?" Hagrid asked when Lucy and Hermione entered his hut.

"Oh, they've been busy doing their homework, I expect," Lucy said vaguely.

"They're not speaking to me," Hermione cut in bluntly. "Harry was sent a Firebolt over Christmas, and there was no note or card with it. I told Professor McGonagall about it, because I suspected that Sirius Black may have sent it to Harry. Then Professor McGonagall confiscated it until it could be checked for jinxes."

"Why would yeh suspect Black?" Hagrid asked.

"We know that Sirius Black may be trying to hunt Harry down," Hermione replied. "Harry overheard Mr. Weasley talking about it in London before school started."

"Ah, well, I'm sure yeh'll be able ter patch things up with 'em," Hagrid said. "I appreciate all yer help with Buckbeak's hearing."

After going over all the information the girls had gathered thus far, they took a break, and Hagrid made them some tea.

"Are you ready for classes to start tomorrow?" Lucy asked him as he handed her and Hermione full teacups.

"Oh, yeah," Hagrid answered. "Got a real good lesson planned. I didn' wan' ter tell anyone, but since yeh've been so helpful… I thought we'd start with salamanders."

"Ooh, Hagrid, that sounds wonderful," Hermione said.

"Yer me firs' class o' the day," Hagrid said. "I jus' hope it's better than those flobberworms."

**~LJ:C~**

Lucy and Hermione spent a little longer with Hagrid before he insisted on walking them up to the castle for dinner. The girls took their seats at an empty part of the Gryffindor table and said good-bye to Hagrid, who continued up to the staff table. The Great Hall was busy with students who had just arrived back from their holiday vacations.

"Lucy!" George exclaimed as he and Fred walked into the Hall.

"Hi, George," Lucy answered, beaming. "How was your holiday?"

"It was great," George replied. "I mean, Percy was there, so it wasn't the best it could have been, but it was nice to get away from the castle for a while. How are you? Get anything good for Christmas?"

"Lots of candy," Lucy answered.

"Why are Harry and Ron sitting way over there?" Fred piped up, looking down the table to where Ron and Harry were dining. "You four always sit together."

"They're perfectly free to sit wherever they like," Hermione said.

Fred and George gave the girls calculating looks but didn't push the subject.

**~LJ:C~**

Back in Gryffindor Tower after dinner, Hermione went right up to the girls' dormitory. Lucy decided to sit with Fred and George in front of the fire.

"Did something happen over Christmas?" George asked immediately.

"Yes, actually," Lucy replied. "Harry was sent a Firebolt."

"A _Firebolt_?" the twins gasped at the same time.

"Problem is, there was no note or card or anything," Lucy went on. "Harry has no idea who sent it to him. Hermione and I thought that was a little bit suspicious, but Hermione took it upon herself to talk to Professor McGonagall about it. McGonagall confiscated the broom until it could be looked over for jinxes."

"Oh, _man_," Fred moaned. "You mean we were so close to having a _Firebolt_ on our team?"

"Well, as long as nothing comes up when they're examining it, Harry will get it back," Lucy said. "McGonagall said it'd probably only take a few weeks."

"Why would Hermione and McGonagall think that it has jinxes on it?" George asked with a frown.

"He _is_ Harry Potter," Lucy said, avoiding telling them about Sirius Black. She looked around the room, noticing that Harry was talking to Oliver Wood. "I think I'll head upstairs," Lucy added. "I need to double check that I have all my homework finished for tomorrow."

"Good night, Lu," George said, grinning.

Lucy smiled back before standing and going over to the girls' staircase.

**~LJ:C~**

Up in the dormitory, Hermione was sitting on her bed and reading her Ancient Runes book. Crookshanks was curled up on the blanket beside her.

Lucy, meanwhile, went over to her school bag and looked through her homework to make sure it had been finished. "Are you excited for classes tomorrow?" she asked as she flipped through pieces of parchment.

"Of course," Hermione replied. "It'll give me something to think about other than that broom."

"I know what you mean," Lucy sighed. She finished packing up her book bag and straightened up. "I think I'm going to get ready for bed. Might as well get some extra sleep while we still can."

**~LJ:C~**

The next morning, the Gryffindors were in Care of Magical Creatures, huddled around a huge bonfire and taking care of some salamanders. Lucy was working with Jeremy and Daphne; she needed a break from what was going on between Hermione and the boys. Harry and Ron were working with Dean, Seamus, Lavender, and Parvati, while Hermione was with Neville and Sally-Anne on the opposite side of the fire.

"Harry an' Ron still not talkin' ter Hermione?" Hagrid asked Lucy as he was walking around.

"They're still upset about the Firebolt," Lucy replied with a shrug.

Daphne gasped. "A _Firebolt_?" she asked. "Who's got a Firebolt?"

"Harry was sent one for Christmas, but there was no note to say who it was from," Lucy replied. "Hermione decided to tell Professor McGonagall about it so that it could be checked for jinxes."

"Isn't it a good thing that his broom is getting checked?" Jeremy questioned.

"I think it definitely couldn't hurt," Lucy said. "I don't really agree with the way that Hermione went to Professor McGonagall without talking to Harry about it first, though."

"I'm sure they'll come 'round," Hagrid said. "Great job with the salamanders, you lot." Then he shuffled away to check on another group's progress.

"It really isn't that hard," Daphne said after he was out of earshot, "but it sure beats feeding flobberworms all day."

**~LJ:C~**

That afternoon, after their Defense Against the Dark Arts class, Lucy accompanied Hermione from the classroom. They were heading back to Gryffindor Tower when Hermione's bag spilled open.

"Oh, no," she moaned, turning around.

Lucy hurried to pick up the fallen books while Hermione sat at the feet of a suit of armor and started to shove things back into her bag.

"Have you ever thought about getting a new bag?" Lucy asked. "Maybe you could ask Professor Flitwick for a charm to make your bag bigger on the inside!"

"No, it's okay. It all fits," Hermione said. "Everything just needs to be put back _exactly_ right." She wrestled her Defense Against the Dark Arts book inside and was able to close her bag.

"Still looks ill, doesn't he?" they heard Ron's voice say. They turned and saw Harry and Ron walking past them on the other side of the corridor.

Ron went on, "What d'you reckon's the matter with him?"

Hermione let out a loud, exasperated sigh. The boys turned around.

"What are you tutting at us for?" Ron asked.

"Nothing," Hermione replied, standing back up. She picked her bag up and slung it over her shoulder.

"Yes, you were," Ron said. "I said I wonder what's wrong with Lupin, and you—"

"Well, isn't it _obvious_?" Hermione cut in.

"If you don't want to tell us, don't," Ron said, rolling his eyes.

"Fine," Hermione said before stalking away.

Lucy shrugged at the boys before hurrying after her, confused as to what she had meant. When they were far enough away from Harry and Ron, so they wouldn't overhear the girls talking, Lucy asked, "Okay, I don't want to sound dumb, but what's obviously wrong with Lupin?"

"If I tell you, you have to promise not to tell anyone," Hermione said.

"Who am I going to tell?" Lucy asked. Hermione raised her eyebrow, and Lucy conceded, "Okay, I won't tell anyone."

"I'm pretty sure Lupin is…" Hermione started, paused, and then whispered, "a _werewolf_."

"A werewolf?" Lucy repeated, and Hermione shushed her.

"Every time he's been sick has been on the full moon," Hermione explained. "His boggart was the moon; it was hard to tell during the day in the staff room, but I'm sure that's what it was. Then there was Snape, who wouldn't listen to us and was determined that we study the werewolf specifically."

"Wow," Lucy breathed. "I never would have guessed that. You're brilliant, Hermione."

Hermione blushed slightly. "Once Snape gave us that essay, I had a hunch," she explained. "So, I checked for the full moons, and sure enough, those were the days that Lupin had been ill. That's when I figured out that his boggart was a moon, not just some silver sphere. But we can't tell anyone," she finished, her eyes widening. "We don't want to get Professor Lupin in trouble. He's the best Defense Against the Dark Arts teacher we've had—"

"I'm sure at least Dumbledore knows about it," Lucy said.

"Probably," Hermione agreed. "Let's get back to the common room. I've got loads of work to do before dinner."

**~LJ:C~**

January passed into February, and Harry and Ron still refused to talk to Hermione. Lucy had tried to talk sense into both sides, but none of them were ready to admit that maybe they were wrong. In the meantime, Lucy attempted to hang out with all of them, but splitting her time was getting exhausting.

Besides the drama going on between her friends, Lucy found herself under a bit more stress in this term than the last. The third-years were being given a lot of work, plus Lucy and Hermione were still taking time to help Hagrid out with Buckbeak's case. They had come up with some major points for Hagrid to talk about, which the girls were extremely proud of. Harry and Ron had seemingly forgotten that they'd agreed to help, and Lucy didn't bother to remind them; she and Hermione had it covered.

Although Lucy thought that she had quite a bit of homework, she had no clue how Hermione was getting all her work done and still found time to do hippogriff research. The girls would sit in the common room every night, and Hermione would end up occupying a few tables with all her work spread out across them.

**~LJ:C~**

Then, one night in mid-February, Professor McGonagall came to the Gryffindor common room, holding Harry's new broomstick. Lucy was sitting with Ron, waiting for Harry to get back from his extra lesson with Lupin.

"Excuse me, Miss Jones, Mr. Weasley," Professor McGonagall said, coming up to them. "Do you happen to know where I can find Mr. Potter?"

"He had an extra lesson with Professor Lupin tonight," Lucy answered. "He should be back soon."

"Thank you," Professor McGonagall said, and she turned and left the common room again.

For the next few minutes, Ron was very fidgety.

"Do you need to go to the bathroom or something?" Lucy asked.

"No!" Ron said, his ears turning pink. "I'm excited that Harry's going to be getting his broom back! I hope he'll let me have a ride on it."

"How do you know she's giving it back to him?" Lucy questioned, smirking at him.

"Well, she had it with her…" Ron said, sounding a bit unsure. "Let's go and see if we can find Harry!" He stood up, abandoning his school work.

Lucy hesitated, but she had to admit to herself that she was interested to see if Harry would have his broom when he returned. Then maybe he and Ron would forgive Hermione.

"All right," Lucy agreed. She also got up, and the two of them hurried from the common room.

They didn't get very far before running into Harry. He did indeed have his new broomstick in hand.

"She gave it to you?" Ron asked. "Excellent! Listen, can I still have a go on it? Tomorrow?"

"Yeah—anything…" Harry replied. "You know what—we should make up with Hermione.… She was only trying to help."

"About time you figured that out," Lucy grumbled.

"Yeah, all right," Ron agreed. "She's in the common room now—working, for a change—"

They turned the corner back into the corridor that housed the entrance to the Gryffindor common room and found Neville standing in front of Sir Cadogan's portrait. Neville seemed to be begging with the painting, who wouldn't let the third-year enter.

"I wrote them down," Neville said, "but I must have dropped them somewhere!"

"A likely tale!" Sir Cadogan shouted. He noticed Lucy, Harry, and Ron approaching and continued, "Good evening, my fine young yeomen and lady! Come clap this loon in irons! He is trying to force entry to the chambers within!"

"Oh, shut up," Ron said.

"I've lost the passwords!" Neville cried. "I made him tell me what passwords he was going to use this week, because he keeps changing them. Now I don't know what I've done with them!"

"The password is _Oddsbodikins,"_ Lucy told Neville.

Sir Cadogan swung forward, looking dejected.

As they all entered the common room, Harry drew a lot of attention because of the broomstick he was carrying. He was soon swarmed by their fellow Gryffindors, and Lucy carefully extracted herself from the crowd. Instead, she went over to where Hermione was sitting alone in her corner.

"Working hard or hardly working?" Lucy joked, taking a seat in one of the spare chairs.

"Hmm," Hermione hummed, not even looking up from her reading, and Lucy snorted in amusement.

**~LJ:C~**

It took the crowd of Gryffindors ten minutes to finish admiring the new broomstick. Then Harry and Ron were finally able to join Lucy and Hermione.

"I got it back," Harry announced, smiling and holding his broomstick up so Hermione could see it.

"I think she noticed," Lucy quipped.

"See, Hermione? There wasn't anything wrong with it!" Ron exclaimed, looking excited.

"Well—there _might_ have been!" Hermione said.

"At least now you know that it's safe," Lucy added.

"Yeah, I suppose so," Harry said. "I'd better put it upstairs—"

"I'll take it!" Ron volunteered. "I've got to give Scabbers his rat tonic."

Harry handed the broom over, and Ron gingerly carried it to the boys' staircase.

"Can I sit down, then?" Harry asked, and Lucy watched Hermione carefully.

"I suppose so," Hermione answered. She removed some papers from a chair.

Harry sat down. "How are you getting through all this stuff?" he asked, looking over Hermione's homework.

"Oh, well—you know—working hard," Hermione answered vaguely.

"Why don't you just drop a couple of subjects?" Harry suggested.

"I couldn't do that!" Hermione yelped.

"Arithmancy looks terrible," Harry commented, picking up a number chart to examine it more closely.

"Oh, no, it's wonderful! It's my favorite subject!" Hermione exclaimed. "It's—"

A loud yelling coming from the boys' staircase cut her off. The whole common room grew quiet, bewildered. They could hear footsteps on the stairs growing louder until Ron emerged, dragging a bed sheet with him.

"LOOK!" he screamed, stomping over to them. He lifted the sheet and shoved it into Hermione face. "LOOK!" he repeated.

Hermione leaned back and said, "Ron, what—?"

"SCABBERS! LOOK! SCABBERS!" Ron yelled.

Lucy and Harry looked at the sheet and saw a spot of red on it.

"BLOOD!" Ron shouted. "HE'S GONE! AND DO YOU KNOW WHAT WAS ON THE FLOOR?"

"N-no?" Hermione said.

Ron threw something onto Hermione's books: a handful of orange fur. "YOUR MONSTER OF A CAT ATE SCABBERS!" Ron cried.

"A few pieces of fur doesn't prove anything," Hermione replied, her face reddening.

"IT—PROVES—EVERYTHING!" Ron bellowed. "Your cat has been after Scabbers all year, and it looks like he's finally managed it! THERE'S NOTHING LEFT OF SCABBERS BUT SOME BLOOD ON MY SHEETS, AND ALL YOU CAN SAY IS THAT FINDING YOUR CAT'S FUR ISN'T PROOF?"

"Well, if Crookshanks did eat Scabbers, then I'm very sorry, but there's nothing I can do about it," Hermione shot back. "Cats chase rats, Ron. Cats chase rats, and then they eat them. Besides, those bits of fur could have been in your dormitory since Christmas."

"YOU COULD HAVE KEPT A CLOSER EYE ON HIM!" Ron shouted. "I KEPT TELLING YOU THAT HE WANTED TO EAT SCABBERS, BUT YOU DIDN'T CARE! YOU'VE _NEVER_ GIVEN A DAMN! ALL YOU CARE ABOUT IS SCHOOLWORK AND YOUR ROTTEN, DIRTY, NO-GOOD, STINKING CAT!"

Hermione's eyes were shiny with tears. She jumped up and ran for the girls' staircase.

There was a ringing silence throughout the common room for a few moments before the other Gryffindors went back to what they'd been doing previously.

"I can't believe she still sticks up for that cat after this!" Ron exclaimed, shaking the sheet in his hand.

"Well, what do you expect her to do?" Lucy asked. "If Crookshanks did eat Scabbers, like she said, there's nothing she can do about it now."

"You always take Hermione's side!" Ron said, scowling.

"I do not, and you know it," Lucy shot back. "I just think that you can be very hard on her sometimes!"

"You're both impossible!" Ron sighed, throwing his hands in the air. Then he left for his dormitory, dragging his bed sheet with him.

"You think Crookshanks did it, though, right?" Harry asked Lucy.

Lucy sighed. "I mean—finding some of Crookshanks's hairs is very suspicious, but it's not completely solid evidence," she replied. "Even if Crookshanks _did_ do it, what does Ron expect Hermione to do? Get rid of her cat?"

"I think Ron had a point," Harry said. "She could have tried to keep a closer eye on him."

"She has been so busy," Lucy said with a shrug. She paused and then added, "I thought you were going to forgive her about the Firebolt thing."

"I did forgive her," Harry said, sounding confused.

"No, you didn't," Lucy insisted. "You didn't once talk to her about it. I don't think she was right to talk to McGonagall behind your back, but I'm glad your broom has been checked over. Now you know that it's not going to throw you to your death the first time you get on it, and doesn't that make you feel a little bit of relief?"

"Of course it does," Harry said.

"Then you should at least apologize for shutting her out for so long," Lucy said. "And at least you got the broom back before your next match." She stood up. "I should probably go and check on her, and you should do the same with Ron."

Harry nodded, stood up, and left for his dormitory.

Lucy gathered up all of Hermione's stuff—there was quite a lot of it—and then retrieved her own things. When she had both hers and Hermione's bags, she took the girls' staircase up to her dormitory. She pushed the door open and walked inside.

"Oh!" Hermione gasped from her place on her bed. She was sitting with her knees pulled up to her chest, and her face was shining with tears.

"Hermione," Lucy said sympathetically. She dropped their bags on the floor between their beds and joined her friend.

"Ron hates me, doesn't he?" Hermione said glumly.

"I don't think he _hates_ you," Lucy replied gently, wrapping an arm around Hermione's shoulders. "I think he hates your cat, but I'm sure deep down he knows that there's nothing you can do about it now."

"You don't think Crookshanks did it, do you?" Hermione asked.

"I'm not sure," Lucy admitted. "There's really no evidence as to where Scabbers went. I mean, it's just as likely that he ran away or that someone else's pet ate him.… Maybe Peeves stole him as a practical joke." Hermione cracked a small smile at this, and Lucy continued, "The point is, there's no evidence that Crookshanks did it, but there's no evidence that he didn't, either."

"You're right," Hermione sighed. "The thing is, I don't even know where Crookshanks is. I haven't seen him for a few days."

"You don't know where he is?" Lucy repeated, frowning.

"That's why I don't think he did it," Hermione continued. "I mean, it's possible that he's been in the tower and that I haven't seen him, but—I think he's off exploring the castle or maybe even the grounds."

Lucy, still puzzled, gave Hermione a one-armed hug and got off her bed. "We should probably get to sleep," Lucy said. "You need to get some more rest." She half expected Hermione to put up a fight but was pleasantly surprised when Hermione nodded in agreement.

So, the girls got ready for the night and were soon settling into their beds.

"Good night, Hermione," Lucy said. "Try not to think about Ron too much, okay?"

"Okay," Hermione yawned. "Good night."

**~LJ:C~**

* * *

_**A/N: Poor Lucy really just wants to stay out of her friends' drama.**_


	12. 12: The Second Break-In

_**Disclaimer: Harry Potter is not mine.**_

* * *

**Chapter 12 –The Second Break-In**

That Saturday was the Quidditch match between Gryffindor and Ravenclaw. The Gryffindors were beyond ecstatic about the game, especially since they now had a Firebolt on their team.

At breakfast, Oliver insisted that Harry put his broom on the table for everyone to see. Lucy and Hermione decided to sit on the other end of the table, away from the main crowd.

"Good morning, girls," Jeremy said cheerfully, joining them at the Gryffindor table.

"Morning, Jeremy," Lucy said, smiling as her heart beat excitedly, and Hermione greeted him, as well.

"So, is there any reason why we're sitting so far away from everyone else?" he asked as he served himself some eggs and toast.

"Well, the other night Ron went up to his dormitory and found a blood stain on his bed sheet," Lucy explained. "Apparently, Scabbers was gone, and Ron found some of Crookshanks's fur somewhere in their dormitory."

"Ah," Jeremy said. "And he thinks Crookshanks ate Scabbers? And I'm guessing that Harry took Ron's side—"

"Crookshanks is a cat!" Hermione burst out. "He eats rats, and he can't help it! It's in his nature! And that's assuming he even did it in the first place!"

"Well, I would like to remain loyally neutral in this," Jeremy chuckled, and Lucy and Hermione giggled, too. Jeremy added, "Are you going to come to the match?"

"Of course," Hermione said immediately, nodding vigorously.

"Oh, good," Jeremy said. "I'm glad I'll still have my Quidditch buddies to stand with."

Lucy glanced over to see Malfoy talking to Harry, most likely about his broom. She sighed and said, "I just want Oliver to win the Quidditch Cup. He deserves to finally get it—they all do."

**~LJ:C~**

When it was time to go down to the Quidditch pitch, Lucy, Hermione, and Jeremy followed a majority of the school out of the castle. They reached the stands, and they found a place that was away from Ron for Hermione's sake. It was a pretty cold day out, but it was nice and clear, much different from the Gryffindors' first match against Hufflepuff.

"Welcome to today's Quidditch match; Gryffindor versus Ravenclaw!" Lee Jordan announced, and the crowd cheered their approval. "First up, the Gryffindors! Johnson, Spinnet, Bell, Weasley, Weasley, Wood, and Potter!"

The Gryffindors all roared as the seven players in red marched across the field.

"Next, the Ravenclaws!" Lee went on. "Stretton, Chambers, Davies, Inglebee, Samuels, Page, and Chang!"

The Ravenclaw fans cheered loudly as their team also entered the pitch.

The two teams reached each other at midfield, and the captains shook hands. Madam Hooch then blew her whistle, and the teams flew into the air. The match had begun.

"They're off, and the big excitement in this match is the Firebolt that Harry Potter is flying for Gryffindor," Lee said. "According to _Which Broomstick_, the Firebolt's going to be the broom of choice for the national teams at this year's World Championship—"

"Jordan, would you mind telling us what's going on in the match?" Professor McGonagall interrupted him.

"Right you are, Professor—just giving a bit of background information," Lee said. "The Firebolt, incidentally, has a built-in auto-brake, and—"

"Jordan!" Professor McGonagall shouted.

"Okay, okay—Gryffindor is in possession," Lee said, sounding disappointed that he couldn't keep talking about the Firebolt. "Katie Bell of Gryffindor heading for goal—"

Suddenly, Harry was diving for the ground. He had seen the Snitch! When he was about to catch it, however, a Bludger hit by one of the Ravenclaw Beaters flew towards him, and he had to dodge around it. In the excitement, the Snitch disappeared.

"Gryffindor leads by eighty points to zero," Lee announced, "and look at that Firebolt go! Potter's really putting it through its paces now. See it turn—Chang's Comet is just no match for it. The Firebolt's precision-balance is really noticeable in these long—"

"JORDAN!" Professor McGonagall yelled. "ARE YOU BEING PAID TO ADVERTISE FIREBOLTS? GET ON WITH THE COMMENTARY!"

The game continued, and the Ravenclaws rallied back by scoring a few goals. Meanwhile, the Ravenclaw Seeker was doing everything in her power to block Harry from trying to get to the Snitch.

Then Hermione grabbed Lucy's arm and shook it. "Look!" she said, pointing at the field.

Lucy turned her attention to the ground and saw three black-cloaked creatures: dementors. "Oh, no, not again," she moaned. She looked at Harry, who had just noticed them, too.

Harry whipped out his wand and bellowed something. A large, silver figure burst from the end of his wand and charged the dementors as Harry continued flying. He stretched his hand out and a second later held it high above his head. In his hand was the Snitch; Gryffindor had won!

The Gryffindors in the stands burst out in cheers. A group of students ran out onto the field to meet the team.

"Hey, look!" Jeremy said, pointing towards the dementors.

Except they weren't dementors at all—Malfoy, Crabbe, Goyle, and Marcus Flint were all struggling to get out from under a pile of black robes.

"There weren't any dementors after all!" Hermione said, sounding relieved.

"Yeah, but they tried to distract Harry!" Lucy pointed out. "That has to be against some kind of rule, right? Interference or something?"

"Well, it looks like McGonagall's got a thing or two to say to them," Jeremy said, motioning to the field.

Professor McGonagall was marching over to the four Slytherins, shouting something at them. Professor Dumbledore joined her, although he was much calmer than the Transfiguration teacher.

Meanwhile, the Gryffindor team had left the stadium, and the rest of the house was following them back to the school.

"Shall we go back up to the castle?" Hermione suggested.

"Yeah, I'm sure the Weasley twins are planning a party as we speak," Lucy replied.

So, the three of them walked back up to the castle, although they were walking a bit slower than the rest of the Gryffindors. At the entrance hall, Lucy and Hermione said good-bye to Jeremy and continued to their common room.

**~LJ:C~**

In Gryffindor Tower, it seemed like the match was all anybody could talk about. There were some Gryffindors doing homework, with the promise of a party after dinner. Someone had turned the radio on, and loud music was blasting throughout the common room.

Hermione insisted on doing homework, as well. She had a lot of work to get done for Monday. Lucy reluctantly agreed to work on their Arithmancy together, but she was having a hard time concentrating with the noise.

Finally, it was dinner time, and Lucy and Hermione went down to the Great Hall together. Hermione ate her dinner quickly, wanting to get back to the common room to keep doing her homework. She waited impatiently for Lucy to finish her meal before they trooped back to the common room.

Once inside, they realized that the party had officially begun. The Weasley twins had scampered off after the match, and now they had butterbeer and candy from Honeydukes for the whole house to enjoy. Lucy decided that her homework could wait, but Hermione continued, hiding away in a back corner where she wouldn't be disturbed.

"Lucy!" George called, waving Lucy over.

She obliged him. When she reached him, she said with a grin, "Nice win today."

George thanked her and handed her a Chocolate Frog.

"Aren't you two ever worried about getting caught sneaking off to Hogsmeade?" Lucy asked.

"Not now that we've done it a hundred times," George replied, winking.

"Well, just be careful," Lucy said, smirking. "We wouldn't want to see our favorite trouble-making duo stuck in detention. Thanks for the Chocolate Frog." She picked up another frog and left again. She rejoined Hermione and set the candy on the table, saying, "Here you go."

"Thanks," Hermione said, not looking up from her Muggle Studies book. She unwrapped the frog and took a bite. "I can't believe you finished reading this during the week," she added.

"Well, I'm not taking as many subjects as you," Lucy answered. "Are you sure you don't want to take a break? You've been working really hard lately. You deserve a night off."

"I couldn't do that," Hermione replied. "I _have_ to finish this for Monday."

Lucy sighed.

At that moment, Harry approached their table.

Lucy hurried to hug him. "Nice win," she said. "Very impressive with the dementors that weren't really dementors."

"Thanks," Harry said.

"Do you know if they're going to get in trouble for what they did?" Lucy asked.

"Seamus said that he heard talk around the Great Hall at dinner tonight," Harry replied. "Apparently, they have a week's worth of detentions with McGonagall for their little stunt."

"Serves them right," Lucy said, grinning.

"Did you come to the match, Hermione?" Harry asked, looking over at Hermione's piles of homework.

"Of course I did," Hermione said. "I'm very glad we won, and I think you did very well. But I need to read this by Monday."

"Come on, Hermione," Harry insisted. "Come and have some food."

"I can't, Harry," Hermione said. "I've still got four hundred and twenty-two pages to read! Anyway…" She gave Ron a pointed look. "_He_ doesn't want me to join in."

Unfortunately, Ron decided at that moment to say loudly, "If Scabbers hadn't just been _eaten_, he could have had some of those Fudge Flies. He used to really like them—"

Lucy sighed in annoyance, and Hermione burst into tears. She grabbed her book and her bag, and she ran for the girls' dormitories. Lucy and Harry exchanged exasperated looks before going over to where Ron was.

"Can't you give her a break?" Lucy asked him.

"No," Ron replied. "If she just acted like she was sorry—but she'll never admit she's wrong, Hermione. She's still acting like Scabbers has gone on holiday or something."

"You're one to talk," Lucy laughed. "You're just as stubborn as she is." Ron opened his mouth, but Lucy held her hand up to stop him. "I'm not going to argue about this with you," she added. Then she turned and headed for the girls' staircase.

"Lucy!" George called. "You're not going to bed already, are you?"

Lucy looked over at him. "I have to go check on Hermione," she said. "I don't know if I'm going to come back.… It _is_ getting late, after all." She gave George a small smile and then left the room. She trudged up the stairs, annoyed with Ron for chasing Hermione out of the common room yet again.

In their dormitory, Hermione was sitting on her bed, sniffling and reading her book for Muggle Studies.

"Are you all right?" Lucy asked.

"Yes," Hermione said in a small voice. "I'll be fine."

Lucy studied her friend for a moment, but the girl didn't look up from her book. "I think I'm going to head to bed. It's getting late," Lucy decided.

"I'm going to keep reading," Hermione replied.

Lucy changed into her pajamas, slid into her bed, and shut the curtains after saying good night to Hermione. It took her quite a while to actually fall asleep. Even though her dormitory was three floors above the common room, she could still hear the noise from the party going on downstairs.

Eventually, she drifted off to sleep.

**~LJ:C~**

Loud shouts woke Lucy up. She groggily lifted her head and pulled back one of her curtains. "What is that noise?" she asked, her voice croaky.

"There's something going on downstairs," Parvati spoke up from the darkness. "Professor McGonagall sent us all to bed a few hours ago.… I wonder if somebody is trying to keep the party going."

"Well, only one way to find out," Lucy said, getting out of bed. She pulled an old sweatshirt on over her pajamas and hurried from the dormitory; Parvati was the only one who followed her.

In the common room, people were gathering in the dark, all asking what was going on.

"Excellent—are we carrying on?" Fred asked as he emerged from the boys' staircase.

"Everyone back to your dormitories!" Percy commanded, also entering the common room.

"Perce!" Ron called, standing in the middle of the common room, looking shell-shocked. "Sirius Black! In our dormitory! With a knife! Woke me up!"

The common room went quiet as everyone froze in shock.

"Nonsense!" Percy said after a moment. "You had too much to eat, Ron—had a nightmare—"

Ron started, "I'm telling you—!"

He was interrupted by Professor McGonagall stomping into the common room. "Now, really, enough's enough!" she snapped, looking around at the students gathered. "I am delighted that Gryffindor won the match, but this is getting ridiculous! Percy, I expected better of you!"

"I certainly didn't authorize this, Professor!" Percy insisted. "I was just telling them all to get back to bed! My brother Ron here had a nightmare—"

"IT WASN'T A NIGHTMARE!" Ron shouted. "PROFESSOR, I WOKE UP, AND SIRIUS BLACK WAS STANDING OVER ME, HOLDING A KNIFE!"

Professor McGonagall stared at him in bewilderment. "Don't be ridiculous, Weasley," she said. "How could he possibly have gotten through the portrait hole?"

"Ask him!" Ron cried, pointing towards the portrait hole. "Ask him if he saw—!"

Professor McGonagall didn't look convinced, but she went back to the portrait hole and opened it. "Sir Cadogan, did you just let a man enter Gryffindor Tower?" she asked.

"Certainly, good lady!" Sir Cadogan replied.

Nobody said anything for a few moments.

"You—you _did_?" Professor McGonagall asked. "But—but the password!"

"He had 'em!" Sir Cadogan said. "Had the whole week's, my lady! Read 'em off a little piece of paper!"

Professor McGonagall thanked him and reentered the common room. Then she said in a shaky voice, "Which person—which abysmally _foolish_ person—wrote down this week's passwords and left them lying around?"

Only one person made a very small noise, and the Gryffindors turned to see Neville raising his hand into the air.

**~LJ:C~**

Lucy and Parvati went back up to their dormitory to wake Lavender, Hermione, and Sally-Anne up.

"Sirius Black was here, in the boys' dormitory," Lucy told Hermione and Sally-Anne. "Harry's and Ron's dormitory. Ron said when he woke up, Black was standing over his bed with a knife in his hand. Then he managed to disappear."

"Is Harry all right?" Hermione asked anxiously.

"Yes," Lucy answered. "Luckily, Black got the wrong bed, and Ron woke up before anything happened. Professor McGonagall and the other teachers are searching the school again. She said she'd be back when their search was over. I think everyone is hanging out in the common room until she returns."

Lucy, Hermione, and Sally-Anne went back down the stairs to sit with the rest of their house. Sally-Anne joined her other friends, while Lucy and Hermione sat in the corner. The atmosphere was very tense as they all waited for new information about the break in.

It was dawn when Professor McGonagall returned. She announced that Sirius Black had escaped once again. She also informed them that Sir Cadogan was to be removed, and the Fat Lady was going to resume her place in front of their common room entrance, with a couple of trolls positioned in the hallway to protect her portrait.

**~LJ:C~**

After the second break in and escape of Sirius Black, new rules were put into place for the students' safety. No students were allowed to go out onto the grounds in the evenings anymore, which made it difficult for Lucy and Hermione to visit Hagrid and help him out with Buckbeak's hearing.

However, they came up with a system, where Hagrid would walk the girls down to his hut after dinner once a week, so that they could come up with the speech that Hagrid would give at the hearing. This continued until the Monday before the hearing, which would take place on the following Saturday. Hagrid and Buckbeak were leaving for London on Friday evening.

Hagrid, as usual, met up with Lucy and Hermione after dinner on Monday night, and the three of them left the castle. They went down to Hagrid's hut and put a final few hours of work into Hagrid's speech.

"Are you feeling okay, Hagrid?" Lucy asked after they had finished fine-tuning the speech.

"Nervous," Hagrid replied. "Wha' if I say all this an' the committee thinks it's all rubbish? Wha' if they find Buckbeak guilty anyway?"

"Well, at least you'll know that you tried," Hermione replied sympathetically.

Lucy and Hermione had grown quite fond of the hippogriff, who now let them pet him without bowing first. Lucy couldn't believe that anyone would think that Buckbeak was dangerous.

"Yer righ', o' course," Hagrid said.

Lucy smiled sadly, but Hermione's eyes grew teary.

"I'm so sorry that we won't be able to come see you before Friday," she said, her voice wobbling. "It's just—I have so much working piling up—"

"Don' beat yerself up, Hermione!" Hagrid said, looking aghast. "You an' Lucy have done all tha' yeh can ter help me. I am truly grateful fer all yer help. Don' cry.…" He glanced at Lucy, signaling for assistance as tears started to fall down Hermione's face.

"I'm s-sorry," Hermione said again. "I sh-shouldn't be crying. I'm j-just exhausted."

"It'll be okay, Hermione," Lucy said soothingly. "You'll see."

**~LJ:C~**

The next night, a notice went up on the bulletin board in the common room.

"Another Hogsmeade weekend," Lucy said. "This Saturday. Do you want to go? I know you've had a lot of work to do recently."

"I don't know," Hermione replied, biting her lip. "I need to study. You should go, though, if you want to."

"No, I don't want to leave you here by yourself," Lucy replied. "Listen, we'll go to the library. It ought to be nice and quiet with everyone else in Hogsmeade."

Hermione smiled. "Okay," she agreed. "Thank you."

"What are friends for?" Lucy asked, smiling back.

Then she saw Harry and Ron enter the portrait hole. They went over to see what the crowd of people around the bulletin board were looking at.

"I'll be back," Lucy said to Hermione, getting up. She walked over and joined the boys, who were attempting to read the new sign.

"There's a Hogsmeade visit next weekend," Lucy said in greeting.

"Hi, Lucy," Harry said, and Lucy smiled at him.

"So, what d'you reckon, Harry?" Ron asked as the three of them moved off to sit at a table.

"Well, Filch hasn't done anything about the passage into Honeydukes…" Harry replied quietly.

Before Lucy could say anything, a voice spoke up behind them.

"Harry!"

Harry jumped before turning to see who was talking to him. It was Hermione.

"Harry, if you go into Hogsmeade again…" Hermione began, "I'll tell Professor McGonagall about that map!"

"Can you hear someone talking, Harry?" Ron asked, looking pointedly away from Hermione.

"Ron, how can you let him go with you?" Hermione asked desperately. "After what Sirius Black nearly did to _you_? I mean it! I'll tell—!"

"So now you're trying to get Harry expelled!" Ron hissed. "Haven't you done enough damage this year?"

At that moment, Crookshanks appeared and jumped onto Hermione's lap. Hermione picked him up and hurried off to the girls' dormitory.

Lucy glared at Ron and said, "You are just being the _worst_ right now, do you know that?"

"How am _I_ the worst?" Ron asked in surprise. "She's the one who keeps sticking her nose in where it doesn't belong!"

"She's just trying to keep Harry safe!" Lucy insisted. "Maybe she's not going about it in the right way, but she's doing it because she cares. Besides, I don't think it would be a good idea for Harry to go into Hogsmeade this weekend. Sirius Black is definitely around here somewhere, and if Harry's out of the castle, it'll be that much easier to get to him."

"Black isn't going to do anything," Ron scoffed.

Lucy shook her head and looked at Harry instead. "I can't stop you from going if you want to go," she said. "I just want you to think about it very carefully, okay? I know it doesn't seem like Sirius Black is going to find you but visiting Hogsmeade is seriously going to increase your risk." Harry nodded at her, and she stood up. "I'll see you later," she added, and she left for the girls' staircase.

**~LJ:C~**

On Saturday morning, most of the students in the third year or older were talking about Hogsmeade. Jeremy joined Lucy and Hermione at the Gryffindor table for breakfast.

"So, are you coming into Hogsmeade today?" he asked them.

"No," Lucy replied. "We've got a lot of work to do, so we've decided to take advantage of the quiet to catch up."

"Oh," Jeremy said, sounding disappointed.

Lucy immediately wished that she could go to Hogsmeade with him; her desire to accompany him surprised Lucy, but she internally scolded herself. She had promised to stay at the castle with Hermione.

"Next time," she said hopefully.

Jeremy smiled and nodded at her.

**~LJ:C~**

After saying farewell to Jeremy in the entrance hall, Lucy and Hermione went up to the library to do more studying. Spending the day in the library usually wouldn't be Lucy's cup of tea, but since Hermione needed the peace and quiet, Lucy was happy to give her the company she needed.

The library was practically empty, and Hermione looked happier than she had in a long while. The girls were able to finish their Transfiguration homework, Astronomy charts, Arithmancy number charts, and essays for History of Magic, Muggle Studies, and Potions by mid-afternoon.

"Thank you for coming to the library with me, Lucy," Hermione said as they set aside their Potions essays. "I really needed this."

"No problem," Lucy replied. "So, what do we have left?"

"Defense Against the Dark Arts," Hermione reported happily. "I also have an essay for Divination and a section of text to translate for Ancient Runes. Then tomorrow can just be spent reading. It'll be lovely."

Lucy giggled. "If reading a bunch of textbooks makes you happy, then I'm happy for you," she said.

Then she heard a tapping nearby. She looked up at the window they were sitting next to and saw an owl outside. Getting up, Lucy went to the window and opened it, letting the owl in. It dropped a note on their table and then flew right out the window in came through. Lucy shut the window as Hermione picked up the note.

"It's from Hagrid!" she reported anxiously. "Buckbeak's trial!"

"Well, open it! Read it!" Lucy urged.

Hermione unfolded it and read aloud.

_Dear Hermione and Lucy,_

_We lost. I'm allowed to bring him back to Hogwarts._

_Execution date to be fixed._

_Beaky has enjoyed London._

_I won't forget all the help you gave us._

_Hagrid_

Hermione, looking lost for words, handed the note over to Lucy to examine. There were spots where the ink had been blotched by Hagrid's tears. Hermione's eyes started to water, and Lucy felt a fury rising in her chest.

"It's not fair!" she said through gritted teeth. "How could anyone possibly want to execute Buckbeak? He's not dangerous! He was just doing what hippogriffs do!"

"I think it's time for a break," Hermione whispered.

The girls gathered up their things and began to walk slowly back to their common room. Neither said anything until they rounded a corner and saw Ron and Harry walking towards them.

"Come to have a good gloat, or have you just been to tell on us?" Ron asked venomously.

"What are you talking about?" Lucy asked blankly. "Gloat about what?"

"You—you didn't hear about what happened?" Harry asked, and Lucy shook her head.

"Never mind that," Hermione started shakily. "You ought to know… Hagrid lost his case. Buckbeak is going to be executed."

**~LJ:C~**

* * *

_**A/N: For those of you wondering, yes, Lucy's dorm is technically only three floors above the common room in this story. I saw either a fan drawing or a fan idea about the Gryffindor common room, and with it was the idea that the boys' and girls' staircases went up and down. There were a few dorms below the common room and a few dorms above it. I liked the idea so much that I adopted it for this story. (The only thing that it messes up is the idea that the stairs turn into a slide if a boy tries to go up the girls' staircase.)**_


	13. 13: Quidditch Champs

_**Disclaimer: Harry Potter is not mine.**_

* * *

**Chapter 13 – Quidditch Champs**

"He—he sent us this," Hermione said, holding the note from Hagrid out to Harry and Ron.

Harry took it, and he and Ron read it together. "They can't do this," Harry said when he was finished. "They _can't_. Buckbeak _isn't_ _dangerous_."

"Malfoy's father scared the committee into it," Lucy said angrily. "You know what he's like."

"They're a bunch of doddery old fools, and they were scared," Hermione continued, sniffing. "There'll be an appeal, though. There always is. Only I can't see any hope.… Nothing will have changed."

"Yeah, it will," Ron said with determination. "You won't have to do all the work alone this time. I'll help."

"Oh, Ron!" Hermione cried, rushing forward and throwing her arms around his neck.

Lucy and Harry exchanged bewildered looks.

"Ron, I'm really, _really_ sorry about Scabbers," Hermione said tearfully as she pulled away.

"Oh—well—he was old," Ron replied, "and he was a bit useless. You never know; Mum and Dad might get me an owl now."

"Ron," Lucy said gently.

"Oh, all right," he sighed. "I'm sorry, Hermione. I haven't been a good friend to you for the past few months."

"I'm sorry, too, Hermione," Harry said. "About avoiding you and getting upset about the Firebolt thing. You were right. I should have been more cautious about it being sent with no note."

Lucy grinned, glad that her friends had finally apologized. "See, that wasn't so hard, was it?" she teased.

Hermione smiled through her tears, and both boys rolled their eyes.

**~LJ:C~**

Lucy was more than happy that her group of friends was back together and getting along again. However, there wasn't much room to be excited about it while they were busy worrying about Hagrid and Buckbeak.

There was no way they would be able to visit Hagrid. Since Sirius Black had broken in for the second time, the security throughout the castle was super tight. So, the four Gryffindors waited until their next Care of Magical Creatures class to talk to their friend.

"Hagrid, what happened?" Lucy asked after class as Hagrid led the students back up to the castle.

"S'all my fault," Hagrid said heavily. "Got all tongue-tied. They was all sittin' there in black robes, an' I kep' droppin' me notes and forgettin' all them dates yeh looked up fer me. Then Lucius Malfoy stood up an' said his bit, an' the committee jus' did exac'ly what he told 'em—"

"There's still the appeal!" Ron said. "Don't give up yet! We're working on it!"

"S'no good, Ron," Hagrid said, shaking his head. "Tha' committee's in Lucius Malfoy's pocket. I'm jus' gonna make sure the rest o' Beaky's time is the happiest he's ever had. I owe him tha'.…"

They had reached the castle, and the Gryffindors and Slytherins clamored up the front steps as Hagrid turned around and returned to his cabin, sniffling into his handkerchief. Lucy and her friends followed their classmates into the entrance hall.

"Look at him blubber!" Malfoy scoffed, standing just inside the castle doors. "Have you ever seen anything quite as pathetic? And he's supposed to be our teacher!"

Lucy, Harry, and Ron turned to him angrily, but Hermione was the one to shoot past them and reach Malfoy first. Then she did something that nobody was expecting: she smacked Malfoy across the face.

"Don't you _dare_ call Hagrid pathetic, you foul—you evil—" Hermione seethed. She lifted her hand again.

Ron leapt forward to grab her wrist. "Hermione!" he said.

Hermione pulled her arm out of his grasp. "Get _off_, Ron!" she said before pulling out her wand and pointing it at Malfoy's face.

Malfoy took a step back, and Crabbe and Goyle looked confused about what they should do. "C'mon," Malfoy said to them, and they fled for the dungeons.

"Hermione, that was awesome!" Lucy said, grinning.

"Harry, you'd better beat him in the Quidditch final!" Hermione said. "You just better had, because I can't stand it if Slytherin wins!"

"We're due in Charms," Ron said, staring at Hermione. "We'd better go."

**~LJ:C~**

"Mr. Potter, Mr. Weasley, Miss Jones," Professor Flitwick said as they ran into the classroom. "You're late! Come along, quickly. Wands out. We're experimenting with Cheering Charms today. We've already divided into pairs.… You three can work together."

Lucy, Harry, and Ron went to the desks at the back of the classroom and took their wands out.

"Where's Hermione gone?" Ron asked.

"I don't know," Lucy said. "Wasn't she right behind us?"

"That's weird," Harry said. "Maybe—maybe she went to the bathroom or something?"

Hermione didn't show up for the entire lesson. Lucy, Harry, and Ron couldn't feel worried, however, since they were under the effects of the Cheering Charms.

"She could've done with a Cheering Charm on her, too," Ron commented as he, Lucy, and Harry left the classroom and headed down to lunch.

**~LJ:C~**

Hermione never showed up in the Great Hall, either.

Lucy was beginning to get worried. "Where is she?" she muttered, drumming her fingers on the table.

"You don't think Malfoy did something to her?" Ron asked, his eyes widening.

Lucy looked over at the Slytherin table where Malfoy was sitting with Crabbe and Goyle. "I don't think so," she said. "I think Malfoy would look more smug than that if he'd done anything to her."

"Come on; there's still time before our afternoon classes start," Harry said. "Let's go check up in the common room."

The other two agreed, and they hurried off to Gryffindor Tower.

**~LJ:C~**

"Flibbertigibbet," Ron said to the Fat Lady.

Her frame swung open, and the three Gryffindors entered the common room. There, sitting at a table, was Hermione. She had fallen asleep with her head on her Arithmancy book. Lucy rushed over and jostled her arm gently.

"Wh-what?" Hermione said, jerking her head up. "Is it time to go? Wh-which lesson have we got now?"

"Divination, but it's not for another twenty minutes," Harry replied, looking concerned. "Hermione, why didn't you come to Charms?"

"What?" Hermione asked, looking blank for a moment before she fully processed what Harry had said. "Oh, no! I forgot to go to Charms!"

"How could you forget?" Harry asked. "You were with us 'til we were right outside the classroom!"

"I don't believe it!" Hermione stormed angrily to herself. "Was Professor Flitwick upset? Oh, it was Malfoy. I was thinking about him, and I lost track of things!"

"You know what, Hermione?" Ron began, and Lucy shot him a warning look that he didn't notice. "I reckon you're cracking up. You're trying to do too much."

"No, I'm not!" Hermione insisted. "I just made a mistake, that's all! I'd better go and see Professor Flitwick and say sorry.… I'll see you in Divination!" She jumped up and ran from the common room, and Lucy, Harry, and Ron stared after her.

"Well," Lucy said after a moment of confused silence, "I suppose I'll head off to Arithmancy. I'll see you two later."

"Yeah, later," Harry echoed.

**~LJ:C~**

"You did _what_?" Lucy asked, looking at Hermione in confused surprise. Hermione sighed, and was about to speak when Lucy interrupted with, "Wait! Tell me from the very beginning."

It was almost dinner time, and Lucy and Hermione had gone back to their dormitory to change out of their uniforms.

"Well, we got to Divination," Hermione started, "and Professor Trelawney informed us that our final exam would involve crystal gazing." She rolled her eyes. "You should have heard her talk about it. _The fates have informed me that your examination in June will concern the Orb._… Such rubbish! _The fates_ informed her of what _she'll_ be putting on _her _exam?"

Hermione shook her head and continued, "Anyway, she set us to work trying to see something in these little crystal balls. Then she came over to our table, and you can guess what she saw in our ball—"

"The Grim?" Lucy sighed.

"The Grim," Hermione confirmed. "At least, I assume that's what she was going to say.… I didn't really let her finish her sentence."

"Hermione!" Lucy gasped, grinning gleefully. "Are you telling me that my best friend actually interrupted a _teacher_?"

Hermione smirked. "Possibly," she replied. "I upset Professor Trelawney quite a bit."

"Why?" Lucy asked. "What did you say?"

"Well, she started to tell Harry that she could see the Grim in the crystal," Hermione explained, "so I said something like, _Not that ridiculous Grim _again_!_"

"And what did our dear, sweet Divination teacher have to say to that?" Lucy asked eagerly.

Hermione drew herself up tall and took a deep breath. "_I am sorry to say that from the moment you arrived in this class, my _dear," she imitated mockingly, "_it has been quite apparent that you do not have what the noble art of Divination requires. Indeed, I don't remember ever meeting a student whose mind was so hopelessly mundane._"

Lucy giggled at Hermione's dramatic reenactment of Professor Trelawney's speech and asked, "So, what did you say next?"

"I'm afraid you're going to be disappointed in me," Hermione answered. "I was so furious that I couldn't really come up with anything good to say back. I just said, _I give up! I'm leaving!_ Then I stormed out of that blasted tower of a classroom and went straight to Professor McGonagall."

"Why?" Lucy questioned.

"I wanted to see if I could drop the class," Hermione said. "I wasn't sure if I would still be expected to sit the final exam, or if I would get an automatic fail for not finishing. Professor McGonagall said it was fine and that people end up dropping extra classes all the time from cracking under the stress."

"That's one less class you have to worry about, too," Lucy said. "You're lucky."

"Unfortunately, Divination wasn't a class with loads of homework," Hermione said. "I really didn't drop my workload by that much."

There was a moment of silence.

"You know, I don't think Professor Trelawney knows what the word _mundane_ means," Lucy said thoughtfully. "Mundane means boring, but we all know that your mind isn't boring."

Hermione beamed, her cheeks flushing. "Shall we head down to dinner?" she suggested. "I'm sure the boys have gone without us by now."

"Yeah, I'm starving," Lucy replied, and the girls left their dormitory.

**~LJ:C~**

The Easter holidays arrived, and the teachers were beginning to give them homework to prepare for their final exams. Lucy, Harry, Ron, and Hermione found themselves in the library pretty much every day, trying to get through all the work they had to do. Oliver also had Harry out on the Quidditch pitch every day training for their upcoming match, which was scheduled for the Saturday after the Easter holidays.

The match was the only thing the Gryffindors seemed able to talk about. There was a lot of tension growing between Gryffindor and Slytherin as the match approached.

At the end of the holidays, Oliver stood up in the Gryffindor common room and called for the attention of the rest of the house. "You all know we have a very important match coming up," he began. "If we can win this match by more than 50 points, we'll have won the Quidditch Cup!"

The Gryffindors cheered at this announcement.

"However, I don't trust that the Slytherin team won't try and take our Seeker out of commission sometime during the week," Oliver went on. "It's widely known that we have no back up Seeker, so if anything happened to Harry, we'd have to either play without a Seeker or concede the match. Therefore, I want each and every one of us to watch out for Harry throughout the week. He should never be left alone; I don't want to take any chances."

"Thanks for looking out for the rest of us, Oliver!" Fred said jokingly.

"Well, I don't think the Slytherins will be as interested in hurting you as opposed to Harry," Oliver replied.

Harry looked thoroughly embarrassed.

**~LJ:C~**

Throughout the week, the Gryffindors heeded Oliver's words. Harry found himself surrounded by other Gryffindors no matter where he went. The most the Slytherin team could do was try to trip Harry in the hallways.

While Harry found himself in no immediate danger, several fights had broken out between Gryffindors and Slytherins.

"I mean, I get it," Lucy said to Jeremy in Potions class. "This match is a big deal.… I just don't understand why some people would go as far as physical violence."

"They're just excited," Jeremy replied. "Quidditch has always been that way."

"You didn't see any fights break out between Gryffindors and Ravenclaws," Lucy pointed out.

"True," Jeremy admitted, "but there have been no bigger rivals than our houses."

**~LJ:C~**

On the night before the match, the common room was filled with such intense excitement that nobody could do any homework. Not even Hermione could force herself to do anything.

"I can't work. I can't concentrate," she moaned, pushing her Ancient Runes book aside.

"It's official," Lucy said. "This is the most worked up our house has ever been; not even Hermione can do her homework."

Harry looked positively sick to his stomach.

"You're going to be fine," Hermione reassured him.

"You've got a _Firebolt_!" Ron added.

"Yeah…" Harry said, looking unconvinced.

Oliver stood up soon after. "Team!" he said. "Bed!"

Harry got up and started for the boys' staircase, following Oliver, Fred, and George from the common room. The rest of the Gryffindors didn't know what to do; Fred and George had been providing entertainment for most of the common room.

"Maybe we ought to head to bed, as well," Hermione suggested after a few minutes.

Lucy and Ron agreed, and they all went up to their dormitories.

**~LJ:C~**

The next morning was clear and sunny. Lucy and Hermione dressed in their dormitory and then headed for the common room, where they met up with Ron and Neville.

"Where's Harry?" Lucy asked.

"I think he's still up in the dormitory," Ron answered. "Let's go to breakfast, though. I'm starving."

He led the way out of the common room and down to the Great Hall. The four third-years took their seats at the Gryffindor table.

"The Slytherin team is already down here," Hermione commented nervously.

"They look a bit more anxious than they usually do," Lucy added, looking at the Slytherin boys in the bright green robes.

"They _should_ be anxious!" Ron stated. "They're going up against the best Quidditch team in the whole school! Not to mention that our Seeker has a _Firebolt_!"

Then applause broke out, and the third-years turned to see the Gryffindor team entering the Great Hall. Even students from Ravenclaw and Hufflepuff were cheering as Oliver led his team to the table.

"Eat up! Eat up!" he commanded as the rest of the team sat. He began pacing behind Fred, George, and Angelina. He didn't sit down once, and when the team had finished eating, he quickly ushered them out of the Great Hall to check out the conditions on the field.

Harry glanced back at his friends, and Lucy, Hermione, and Ron all waved at him. There was more applause as the team left the Great Hall.

"I think Oliver's lost it," Lucy said. "He needs to calm down."

"I'm sure he'll feel better when he's in the air," Hermione said.

**~LJ:C~**

At a quarter to eleven, the school began to empty as everyone began the walk down to the stadium. Lucy followed Ron, Hermione, and Neville, but a shout held her back for a moment. She turned, feeling the butterflies in her stomach as Jeremy hurried up to her.

"Good luck to your team today," he said, grinning and wearing Slytherin colors.

"It'll be an interesting match," Lucy said, nodding. "Thanks. No hard feelings when we crush your team into the ground?"

Jeremy laughed. "We'll see," he said. "We'd better get going. I don't think our houses would like us talking today of all days."

"See you later," Lucy said, smiling. Then she hurried to catch up with her friends.

"Fraternizing with the enemy?" Ron asked when she had rejoined them.

Lucy rolled her eyes. "He's not the enemy, and you know it," she shot back.

"He may be a nice enough bloke, but today, he's the enemy," Ron answered, smirking a little.

"Whatever, Ron," Lucy laughed. "C'mon, let's go find some good seats."

**~LJ:C~**

The four third-years reached the stadium and found a place to stand next to Dean and Seamus. Neither team had come out of their locker rooms yet, but the stands quickly filled up with students.

"Welcome to today's Quidditch match: Slytherin versus Gryffindor!" Lee's voice echoed around the stadium. "Here are the Gryffindors!"

Everyone in the Gryffindor section screamed as the team marched out onto the field.

Lee announced, "Johnson, Spinnet, Bell, Weasley, Weasley, Wood, and Potter! Widely acknowledged as the best team Hogwarts has seen in a good few years—"

A large cry of protest rose up from the Slytherin side of the stadium.

"Here comes the Slytherin team," Lee continued. "Flint, Warrington, Montague, Peregrine, Bole, Bletchley, and Malfoy." The Slytherins all cheered loudly, and Lee went on, "Captain Flint's made some changes in the lineup and seems to be going for size rather than skill—"

There was more protesting from the Slytherins.

Madam Hooch stepped up to the middle of the field and waved the teams toward her. She signaled the captains to shake hands, which Flint and Wood did. Then Madam Hooch put her whistle to her mouth and blew. The fourteen players pushed off from the ground and flew into the air; the match had begun.

"It's Gryffindor in possession," Lee started. "Alicia Spinnet of Gryffindor with the Quaffle, heading straight for the Slytherin goal posts. Looking good, Alicia! Argh, no—Quaffle intercepted by Warrington. Warrington of Slytherin tearing up the field—WHAM!—nice Bludger work there by George Weasley. Warrington drops the Quaffle. It's caught by—Johnson! Gryffindor back in possession. Come on, Angelina—nice swerve around Montague—_duck, Angelina, that's a Bludger!_—SHE SCORES! TEN-ZERO TO GRYFFINDOR!"

The Gryffindors screamed their approval. Then, as Angelina was celebrating her goal, Flint crashed into her with his broom.

"C'mon, that's gotta be a foul!" Lucy shouted as the Gryffindor cheers turned to boos.

A few seconds later, one of the Weasley twins had thrown his bat at Flint and hit him in the back of his head, causing the Slytherin to jerk forward and smash his face into the handle of his broomstick. Madam Hooch flew over and was gesturing wildly.

"Wait—what's happening?" Hermione asked, her fingers laced together anxiously.

"They're giving each team a penalty shot," Ron explained. "One for Flint flying into Angelina, and one for Fred hitting Flint with his club."

Alicia took the Quaffle and lined up for the penalty shot.

"Come on, Alicia!" Lee said as the crowd quieted.

Alicia took her shot, and—

"YES! SHE'S BEATEN THE KEEPER!" Lee shouted. "TWENTY-ZERO TO GRYFFINDOR!"

Flint was next, taking the penalty shot for Slytherin.

"'Course, Wood's a superb Keeper," Lee said as Flint prepared to take his shot. "Superb! Very difficult to pass—very difficult indeed—YES! I DON'T BELIEVE IT! HE'S SAVED IT!"

The Gryffindors cheered loudly, excited to have gained an early twenty-zero lead on the Slytherins.

"Gryffindor in possession," Lee began again as play resumed. "No, Slytherin in possession—no!—Gryffindor back in possession, and it's Katie Bell! Katie Bell for Gryffindor with the Quaffle. she's streaking up the field—THAT WAS DELIBERATE!"

One of the Slytherin Chasers had flown in front of Katie and had grabbed her head instead of the Quaffle. Katie somehow managed to stay on her broom, and Madam Hooch blew her whistle. She awarded Katie another penalty shot, which she put in easily.

"THIRTY-ZERO!" Lee shouted into his megaphone. "TAKE THAT, YOU DIRTY, CHEATING—!"

"Jordan!" Professor McGonagall, who was sitting next to him, as usual, warned. "If you can't commentate in an unbiased way—!"

"I'm telling it like it is, Professor!" Lee insisted.

Suddenly, Harry took off across the pitch, and people below gasped in excitement.

"Has he seen the Snitch?" Hermione asked, grabbing Lucy's arm.

"Oliver told him to wait until they were more than fifty points ahead to catch it," Lucy said, frowning.

"Maybe he's just trying to fake Malfoy out!" Ron said. "You know, distract him from trying to look for the Snitch."

As Harry streaked across the field, one of the Slytherin Beaters aimed a Bludger at him, but it missed. Seconds later, the other Slytherin Beater whacked the other Bludger at Harry, but this one missed, as well. Both the Slytherin Beaters were flying at Harry from opposite directions, their clubs raised in the air.

"You don't think they'll hit him, do you?" Hermione cried.

Harry, however, pulled his broom up and sped into the air. The Beaters, with no time to react, collided with each other. A cry of protest rose up from the Slytherin supporters, but Harry had done nothing wrong, so play continued.

"Ha haaa!" Lee laughed into the megaphone. "Too bad, boys! You'll need to get up earlier than that to beat a Firebolt! So, it's Gryffindor in possession again, as Johnson takes the Quaffle—Flint alongside her—poke him in the eye, Angelina!"

"Jordan!" Professor McGonagall barked.

"It was a joke, Professor. It was a joke," Lee replied. "Oh, no—Flint in possession. Flint flying toward the Gryffindor goal posts. Come on now, Wood! Save—!"

Unfortunately, Wood barely missed the Quaffle, and the Slytherins had scored their first points. Lee swore loudly into the megaphone, and there was the sound of a scuffle. Lucy glanced up to the commentator's podium and saw that Professor McGonagall was trying to take the megaphone away from Lee, but he wouldn't let her have it.

"Sorry, Professor, sorry!" he said. "Won't happen again! So, Gryffindor in the lead thirty points to ten, and Gryffindor in possession—"

The game was getting rough as the Slytherins furiously tried anything they could to get the Quaffle back. One of the Slytherin Beaters hit Alicia in the head with his club, which caused George to elbow him in the face. Madam Hooch called for another double penalty. Alicia took the one for Gryffindor and scored, while Oliver managed to save the Slytherin's attempt once again. Now it was forty-ten.

Play continued, and Katie was able to score. Fred and George flew over to her, protecting her from any Slytherin retaliation, but the Slytherin Beaters targeted Oliver instead. They hit both Bludgers at him, and they hit him in the stomach one after the other. Madam Hooch immediately called a penalty, and Angelina took it and scored. It was sixty-ten, and the Gryffindors below were screaming so loud that it was deafening in the stadium.

"Come on, one more goal!" Lucy said, jumping up and down. "Then Harry can catch the Snitch!"

The Slytherins had taken possession of the Quaffle, but it didn't last long; Fred aimed a Bludger perfectly at the Slytherin Chaser, who dropped the ball. Alicia caught it and scored again.

It seemed as though all the Gryffindors knew what that meant; everyone looked to Harry, who had sprung into action. He was flying upwards, Malfoy on his tail. Suddenly, Harry seemed to slow down.

"What's wrong?" Hermione asked fearfully.

"Malfoy's grabbed Harry's broom!" Ron snarled. "He can't do that!"

Madam Hooch's whistle blew.

"YOU CHEATING SCUM!" Lee was bellowing from the commentators' booth. "YOU FILTHY, CHEATING—!"

Professor McGonagall didn't even try to take the megaphone away from him, and one look at where she and Lee were sitting showed that she was looking equally as angry.

Madam Hooch gave Gryffindor another penalty shot, and Alicia took it but missed. The whole Gryffindor team was upset by what had just happened that one of the Slytherin Chasers was able to score. They were only up by fifty now, and Harry couldn't catch the Snitch. Instead, he seemed to be trying with all his might to block Malfoy from being able to properly look for it.

"Angelina Johnson gets the Quaffle for Gryffindor," Lee announced. "Come on, Angelina! COME ON!"

The Slytherin team, apart from Malfoy and their Keeper, were flying towards Angelina, attempting to block her. Then suddenly, Harry shot forward, scaring the Slytherins into scattering apart and leaving Angelina with a clear shot. She took the shot and scored!

However, as Harry had been helping his teammate, Malfoy had spotted the Snitch. He had begun to dive as Harry turned around and looked back at him. Harry shot forward, urging his broom to go faster.

"Oh, I can't watch!" Hermione moaned, covering her face with her hands.

"Come on, Harry!" Lucy yelled.

Harry had caught up with Malfoy—he dodged a Bludger—the boys were neck and neck—

"Hermione, you can look!" Ron shouted as the Gryffindors erupted in deafening cheers.

Harry was zooming around the pitch, the little Snitch grasped tightly in his hand. Gryffindor students were pouring onto the field as the Quidditch team all flew at Harry, grabbing at him. The team landed onto the pitch and were immediately hoisted into the air. Lucy, Ron, and Hermione joined the group, cheering and shouting themselves hoarse. Harry looked around and saw them, and he grinned.

The crowd carried the team over to where Dumbledore was in the stands with the Quidditch Cup. Dumbledore handed the cup to Oliver, who looked like he was about to pass out from shock, and Oliver passed it to Harry. Harry lifted it into the air to the approving screams of the Gryffindor supporters.

_That's my brother_, Lucy thought to herself, and the smile on her face couldn't grow any bigger.

**~LJ:C~**

* * *

_**A/N: One thing I didn't really like in the books: Ron never really apologized to Hermione about everything. So I made sure to add him actually saying sorry.**_


	14. 14: Padfoot

_**Disclaimer: Harry Potter is not mine.**_

* * *

**Chapter 14 – Padfoot**

The Quidditch win had the Gryffindors ecstatic for the next week. The weather outside was growing nicer, as well. Unfortunately, as June approached, the students in the castle were bombarded with exam preparatory work. Percy Weasley, who was a seventh-year and concentrating on taking his N.E.W.T.s, had strict rules about keeping the common room quiet.

The third-years were given their exam schedules by Professor McGonagall the week before their exams were to begin. Lucy found that her schedule was very full with her three elective classes.

That night in the common room, Lucy compared her schedule to Ron's and Harry's. "This is so not fair," she complained. "I have three exams on Monday, and you guys only have two."

"What do you have on Monday?" Harry asked, looking over Lucy's schedule.

"I have Arithmancy at four," she grumbled. "So does Hermione, I bet."

"Hermione, let's see your exam schedule," Ron said. "I'd like to see how you're managing all your extra classes." He reached over and picked up her schedule. "Are you sure they've got your exam times right?"

"What?" Hermione asked impatiently, glancing at the piece of paper. "Yes, of course."

"They have you taking your Ancient Runes exam at the same time as we're supposed to be taking Charms," Harry said, looking at the paper, too. "Is there any point asking how you're going to sit for two exams at once?"

"No," Hermione replied. "Have any of you seen my copy of _Numerology and Gramatica_?"

"You can borrow mine, 'Mione," Lucy said, pushing her book across the table.

They all paused when they heard a flutter of wings, and Hedwig flew into the room through the window. She dropped the note she was carrying in front of Harry.

"It's from Hagrid," Harry reported as he unfolded the parchment. "Buckbeak's appeal—it's set for the sixth."

"That's the day we finish our exams," Hermione commented, pulling Lucy's book to her.

"They're coming up here to do it," Harry continued. "Someone from the Ministry of Magic and—and an executioner."

"They're bringing the executioner to the appeal?" Lucy asked, frowning. "That makes it sound like they've already decided!"

"Yeah, it does," Harry agreed.

"They _can't!"_ Ron said. "I've spent _ages_ reading up on stuff for him; they can't just ignore it all!"

"I wish we could go and _see_ Hagrid," Harry sighed.

"We could always use the Invisibility Cloak," Lucy suggested.

"How can you think of doing anything besides study this week?" Hermione squawked, looking appalled. "We have exams starting on Monday!"

"I don't have the Invisibility Cloak, anyway," Harry said glumly. "I left it in the one-eyed witch statue after my last visit to Hogsmeade. I can't go back there. Snape's already too suspicious of me, and if he saw me up there again…"

**~LJ:C~**

All four Gryffindors were worried about Buckbeak's appeal, and it didn't help that throughout the week Malfoy kept talking about how Buckbeak was going to be executed. Lucy had to pull Harry and Ron away from him multiple times to keep them out of trouble.

"It's not worth it," she told them every time. "We've got final exams coming up. You need the time to study, which you won't be able to do if you're in detention."

**~LJ:C~**

Exams were upon them, and the castle was high with stressful energy.

The Gryffindor third-years' first exam Monday morning was Transfiguration. Lucy had been quite pleased with her exam. The toughest part had been turning a teapot into a tortoise, and many of the other third-years spent the walk down to the Great Hall complaining.

"I think my tortoise looked too much like a turtle," Hermione said, looking worried.

"Hermione, you've got to be joking," Ron said. "You had the best-looking tortoise in the entire class."

After lunch, they headed up to the Charms classroom, where they had to perform a handful of charms on their partners. Lucy and Hermione partnered together. Hermione cast all her spells perfectly, and Lucy was pleasantly surprised when she also cast every spell accurately. Harry, on the other hand, had cast his Cheering Charm too powerfully, and Ron needed to be removed from the class for an hour while he calmed down.

After Charms, Lucy and Hermione went to sit their Arithmancy exam. Lucy found it to be fairly straightforward and was confident in her answers.

Once that exam was over, Lucy and Hermione met the boys for dinner, and afterwards, they all went back to the common room to get some last-minute studying in for Care of Magical Creatures, Potions, and Astronomy.

**~LJ:C~**

Tuesday morning dawned, and Lucy and her friends went down to Care of Magical Creatures to find a very distracted Hagrid. He had a group of new flobberworms, and their exam was to keep their flobberworm alive for an hour.

"Beaky's gettin' a bit depressed," Hagrid told Lucy, Harry, Ron, and Hermione as he examined their flobberworms. "Bin cooped up too long. But still… we'll know the day after tomorrow—one way or the other.…"

That afternoon the Gryffindor third-years had their Potions final. Snape instructed them to complete a Confusion Concoction during the exam time. Lucy thought hers turned out very well, and she left the dungeons feeling proud of herself.

The Astronomy exam was at midnight, and it was held at the top of the tallest tower in the castle. Then on Wednesday, the third-years had History of Magic in the morning, and Herbology in the afternoon. Just like that, they only had two exams left.

**~LJ:C~**

On Thursday morning, they had their Defense Against the Dark Arts final. For their exam, Professor Lupin had set up a sort of obstacle course of Dark creatures that they had to pass. First, they had to get past a grindylow in a pool. Then they had to get past a field of Red Caps. Next, they had to cross a bog without falling for any misleading directions from a hinkypunk. Lastly, they had to defeat a boggart.

Lucy went through the first two parts without problem, but the hinkypunk almost persuaded her to go in the wrong direction. Luckily, she was able to correct her course. She had no problems with the boggart and was happy with the results of her exam. She and Harry waited for Ron and Hermione to complete their exams, and the four of them headed back to the castle.

They stopped short at the front steps when they saw that the Minister of Magic Cornelius Fudge was standing at the top of the steps.

"Hello there, Harry!" Fudge called, and Harry led the others up to him. "Just had an exam, I expect? Nearly finished?"

"Yes," Harry answered awkwardly as Lucy, Ron, and Hermione lingered behind him.

"Lovely day," Fudge commented, looking out over the grounds. "Pity… pity…" He paused before continuing, "I'm here on an unpleasant mission, Harry. The Committee for the Disposal of Dangerous Creatures required a witness to the execution of a mad hippogriff. As I needed to visit Hogwarts to check on the Black situation, I was asked to step in."

"_Mad_ hippogriff?" Lucy repeated angrily.

"Does that mean the appeal has already happened?" Ron asked, stepping forward.

"No, no," Fudge replied. "It's scheduled for this afternoon."

"Then you might not have to witness an execution at all!" Ron said. "The hippogriff might get off!"

At that moment, the castle doors opened, and two men stepped out behind Fudge.

"Dear, dear, I'm getting too old for this," the older wizard sighed. "Two o'clock, isn't it, Fudge?"

Ron looked like he wanted to continue talking, but Hermione grabbed his wrist and steered him into the castle.

"Why'd you stop me?" Ron asked in annoyance. "Did you see them? They've even got the axe ready! This isn't justice!"

"Ron, your dad works for the Ministry. You can't go saying things like that to his boss!" Hermione answered. "As long as Hagrid keeps his head this time and argues his case properly, they can't possibly execute Buckbeak.…"

Lucy and Harry exchanged doubtful looks.

**~LJ:C~**

After lunch, Harry and Ron went off to their Divination exam, while Lucy and Hermione went to their Muggle Studies final. It didn't take the girls long to finish their exam, and they went back to the common room when they were done.

"I almost don't know what to do," Hermione said as she and Lucy took a seat on the couch in front of the fire. "We don't have any more schoolwork to finish."

"Do you think you're going to keep taking all four of the extra classes next year?" Lucy asked. "I mean, I know you can't tell me how you've been going to multiple classes at once, but that must have been frustrating."

"I'm thinking of dropping Muggle Studies," Hermione admitted. "It's fascinating to hear about Muggles from the Wizarding perspective, but I'm not actually learning anything. I'd rather put the extra time into Arithmancy and Ancient Runes."

"And Care of Magical Creatures?" Lucy asked slyly.

Hermione flushed. "Yes, of course," she hurried to agree. She sighed and added, "Hopefully Hagrid gets his act together next year. I can't stand another year of staring at flobberworms do nothing during every class."

"I know what you mean," Lucy said. "Do you want to play some Exploding Snap while we wait for Harry and Ron?"

Hermione agreed, and she and Lucy began to build a house of cards with Lucy's Exploding Snap deck.

**~LJ:C~**

A little while later, Ron entered the common room and flopped into one of the chairs.

"How was the exam?" Lucy asked. "Where's Harry?"

"Professor Trelawney saw us individually," Ron replied. "Harry went after me, so he's still taking his exam."

"So, what did you have to do?" Hermione questioned.

"We were reading crystal balls," Ron answered. "I couldn't see anything, of course, so I made up some rubbish. I don't think I convinced Trelawney, but it's over now."

Suddenly, Lucy's and Hermione's house of cards exploded on them, causing Hermione to squeak in alarm. Lucy laughed and started picking up the cards.

They heard a tapping on the window nearby, and the three students turned around.

"Hedwig!" Lucy gasped, and Ron jumped up and hurried to open the window.

Hedwig hooted as she held her leg out to Ron. He untied the note, and Hedwig took off out the window again.

Ron unfolded the piece of paper and read it. "Oh, no," he said miserably, holding it out for Lucy and Hermione to read.

_Lost the appeal. They're going to execute at sunset._

_Nothing you can do. Don't come down. I don't want you to see it._

_Hagrid_

"How could they execute poor Buckbeak?" Hermione asked, sniffing back tears.

Then Harry came bursting into the common room and hurried over to them. "Professor Trelawney," he gasped, "just told me—" He stopped at the looks on his friends' faces.

"Buckbeak lost," Ron explained.

"Hagrid's just sent this," Lucy added, holding the parchment out for Harry to take.

After Harry read the note, he said, "We've got to go. He can't just sit there on his own, waiting for the executioner!"

"Sunset, though," Ron said. "We'd never be allowed…'sepcially you, Harry.…"

"If only we had the Invisibility Cloak…" Harry said, sinking into a chair.

"Where is it again?" Hermione asked.

"Inside that one-eyed witch statue," Harry replied. "If Snape sees me anywhere near there again, though, I'm in serious trouble."

"That's true," Hermione said. She stood up. "If he sees _you._… How do you open the witch's hump again?"

"You—you tap it and say _Dissendium_," Harry answered, looking confused. "But—"

Hermione turned and left the common room without another word.

"She hasn't gone to get it?" Ron asked, looking at Lucy and Harry with a dumbfounded expression.

Lucy shrugged. "Exploding Snap?" she offered, holding up her deck of cards.

Harry and Ron reluctantly sat down and started a game with Lucy.

**~LJ:C~**

Fifteen minutes later, Hermione returned to the common room. She pulled the Invisibility Cloak out from under her robes.

"Hermione, I don't know what's gotten into you lately!" Ron said in amazement. "First you hit Malfoy, and then you walk out on Professor Trelawney.…"

Hermione beamed.

**~LJ:C~**

Harry brought the Invisibility Cloak with him to dinner, hiding it under his robes. When he and his friends were finished with dinner, they hid in an empty chamber off the entrance hall and waited until everyone else had gone back to their common rooms.

Finally, Hermione stuck her head out the door and called the coast clear. The four of them huddled together under the cloak and started to slowly walk across the entrance hall and out of the castle.

When they got to Hagrid's house, Harry reached out and knocked. They stayed under the cloak, and when Hagrid answered his door, he looked around in confusion.

"It's us," Harry whispered. "We're wearing the Invisibility Cloak. Let us in, and we can take it off."

"Yeh shouldn've come!" Hagrid moaned. He stepped aside and waved them in.

They entered the hut, and Harry pulled the cloak off them.

"Wan' some tea?" Hagrid asked as they sat down around his giant table.

"Sure," Lucy said gently.

"Where's Buckbeak, Hagrid?" Hermione asked.

"I—I took him outside," Hagrid replied. "He's tethered in my pumpkin patch. Thought he oughta see the trees an'—an' smell the fresh air—before—" He shuddered and dropped the jug of milk he'd been holding.

"I'll do it, Hagrid," Hermione volunteered, jumping up and stepping forward to clean up the spilled milk.

"There's another one in the cupboard," Hagrid said, sitting down at the table.

"Isn't there anything anyone can do, Hagrid?" Harry asked. "Dumbledore—"

"He's tried," Hagrid assured them. "He's got no power to overrule the committee. He told 'em Buckbeak's all righ', but they're scared.… Yeh know wha' Lucius Malfoy's like… threatened 'em, I expect.… The executioner, Macnair: he's an old pal o' Malfoy's… but it'll be quick an' clean… an' I'll be beside him.…"

Hagrid had to take a moment to recompose himself before continuing, "Dumbledore's gonna come down while it—while it happens. Wrote me this mornin'. Said he wants ter—ter be with me. Great man, Dumbledore.…"

"We'll stay with you, too, Hagrid," Lucy said fiercely.

Hagrid shook his head. "Yeh're to go back up ter the castle," he said firmly. "I told yeh, I don' wan' yeh watchin'. Yeh shouldn' be down here anyway.… If Fudge an' Dumbledore catch yeh out without permission, yeh'll be in trouble. Especially _you_, Harry."

Lucy heard sniffling coming from Hermione, who was hiding her face from them as she made the tea. She was about to pour some milk into the jug she'd gotten out of the cupboard when she let out a short scream. "Ron!" she exclaimed. "I—I don't believe it—it's _Scabbers_!"

"What are you talking about?" Ron asked quizzically.

Hermione carried the jug over to the table and held it upside down. Scabbers came tumbling out.

"Scabbers!" Ron said, scooping up the rat. "Scabbers, what are you doing here?" The rat continued to struggle in Ron's hands, and Ron said, "It's okay, Scabbers! No cats! There's nothing here to hurt you!"

Lucy and Hermione exchanged a quick glance but neither said a word.

"They're comin'…" Hagrid said suddenly, his eyes widening as he looked out the window.

The four Gryffindors all turned to look out the window, as well, and they saw Dumbledore leading the Ministry men down the castle steps.

"Yeh gotta go," Hagrid commanded. "They mustn' find you here.… Go now.…"

Hermione scrambled to pick up the cloak, and Ron shoved Scabbers into his pocket.

"I'll let yeh out the back way," Hagrid said, opening his back door and ushering the students into the pumpkin patch.

The moment they set eyes on Buckbeak, they froze.

"It's okay, Beaky," Hagrid said to the hippogriff, who was pawing at the ground. "It's okay.… Go on," he added to Lucy, Harry, Ron, and Hermione. "Get goin'."

Harry said, "Hagrid, we can't—"

Lucy begged, "Please let us stay and talk to them—"

Ron added, "We'll tell them what really happened—"

Hermione sobbed, "They can't kill him—"

"Go!" Hagrid insisted. "It's bad enough without you lot in trouble an' all!"

Hermione threw the cloak over all four of them.

"Go quick," Hagrid added. "Don' listen—"

The four Gryffindors walked swiftly around Hagrid's hut and began the journey up to the castle.

"Please, let's hurry," Hermione said softly. "I can't stand it—I can't bear it.…"

They hurried on until Ron suddenly stopped.

"Oh, please, Ron," Hermione begged desperately.

"It's Scabbers," Ron replied. "He won't… stay put.…"

Lucy looked over to see Ron struggling with his rat, trying to keep him in his pocket.

"Scabbers, it's me, you idiot!" Ron hissed. "It's Ron!"

The door to Hagrid's hut opened behind them, and they could hear voices.

"Oh, Ron, please let's move. They're going to do it!" Hermione moaned.

"Okay," Ron said. "Scabbers, stay _put._…"

They started forward again, but Ron halted once more. "I can't hold him," he complained. "Scabbers, shut up. Everyone will hear us.…"

The voices had stopped, and Lucy held her breath, hoping that they hadn't heard Scabbers. Then they heard the unmistakable thud of an axe being swung down.

Hermione let out a gasp. "They did it!" she murmured faintly. "I d-don't believe it—they d-did it!"

The four of them stood still, unable to move. Then they could hear a low-pitched wailing coming from behind them.

"Hagrid," Harry muttered. He was about to turn around, but Lucy grabbed him.

"We can't," she said firmly. "He'll be in even more trouble if they know we came down to see him.…"

"How—could—they?" Hermione stuttered. "How _could_ they?"

"Come on," Ron urged, and they started walking again.

A few minutes later, Ron started whispering, "Scabbers, keep still. What's the matter with you, you stupid rat? Stay still—OUCH!" he exclaimed rather loudly. "He bit me!"

"Ron, be quiet!" Hermione shushed him. "Fudge'll be out here in a minute—"

"What's the _matter_ with him?" Ron said, battling with the rat.

Harry let out a breath.

Lucy looked at him in confusion. "What is it, Harry?" she asked.

"Crookshanks!" Hermione moaned.

Lucy looked forward to where Harry was looking and spotted the cat creeping towards them through the grass.

"No, go away, Crookshanks!" Hermione hissed. "Go away!"

"Scabbers—NO!" Ron said.

But Scabbers had finally wriggled free from Ron's hands. He scurried away from them, and Crookshanks was quick to chase the rat. Ron let out a shout and ran out from under the cloak, rushing after Scabbers.

"_Ron_!" Lucy cried. She and Hermione tore after Ron, leaving Harry to follow, dragging the cloak with him.

"Get away from him!" Ron was shouting at Crookshanks ahead of them. "Get away—Scabbers, come _here_—" Then there was a thud. "_Gotcha_! Get off, you stinking cat—"

Lucy and Hermione skidded to a stop in front of Ron. Harry was right behind them. They all looked down to see Ron lying on the ground, his hands clamped over the lump in his pocket.

"Ron—come on," Hermione said, slightly out of breath. "Back under the cloak—Dumbledore—the Minister—they'll be coming back out any minute—"

Then there was a sound nearby that worried them even more; the sound of large paws walking towards them. They turned to see a large black dog prowling near them. When they saw it, it sprung towards Harry and knocked him over.

"Harry!" Ron shouted as the dog wheeled around, ready to pounce again. He jumped up and hurried in front of Harry.

The dog lunged and grabbed Ron by the arm.

"Ron!" Lucy yelped.

Harry scrambled up from the ground and tried to pull the dog off Ron, but the dog was dragging Ron away.

Suddenly, Harry was flung backwards. Next Hermione fell back, as well, and then Lucy felt something striking her hard across the face. She fell back onto the ground, startled and confused about what just hit her.

"_Lumos_," Harry whispered, his wand out.

Lucy struggled to her feet and pulled Hermione up. Harry aimed his wand light ahead of them, and they realized that they were standing by the Whomping Willow. The dog was pulling Ron towards the base of the tree and down into a gap between the trunk and the ground. Ron disappeared a moment later.

"Ron!" Harry shouted, trying to run forward again, but the Whomping Willow swung its branches threateningly, causing Harry to stop short.

"Harry," Hermione said, "we've got to go for help."

"No!" Harry shouted. "That thing's big enough to eat him; we haven't got time—"

"Harry—we're never going to get through without help," Lucy said.

"If that dog can get in, we can, too," Harry replied, trying to find a gap in the tree's flying branches.

Then Crookshanks darted forward underneath the branches and came to a halt at the trunk. He touched a knot at the base of the tree with his paw, and the tree froze.

"Crookshanks!" Hermione exclaimed. "How did he know—?"

"He's friends with that dog," Harry replied. "I've seen them together. Come on—and keep your wands out."

Lucy and Hermione took their wands out, and the three of them proceeded cautiously to the hole that Ron had disappeared down. Crookshanks then slipped down the hole, and the other three paused. Harry went first, sliding head first into the hole. Hermione followed hesitantly, and Lucy brought up the rear.

**~LJ:C~**

They were in a small tunnel.

"Where's Ron?" Hermione asked.

"This way," Harry replied, waving at the girls to follow him. He was following Crookshanks.

"Where does this tunnel come out?" Lucy asked.

"I don't know," Harry answered. "It's marked on the Marauder's Map, but Fred and George said no one's ever gotten into it.… It goes off the edge of the map, but it looked like it was heading for Hogsmeade.…"

They set off down the tunnel. It took roughly fifteen minutes before the tunnel began to slope upwards, and they could see light coming from the other side. Lucy, Harry, and Hermione lifted their wands as they crept forward. Harry and Hermione pulled themselves through the hole at the end of the tunnel, and Lucy followed.

They were in a dusty room, full of broken furniture and cobwebs, and the windows were boarded up. There was an open door that led into a dark hallway.

"I think we're in the Shrieking Shack," Hermione whispered nervously.

Harry eyed one of the chairs in the room, whose legs had been ripped to pieces. "Ghosts didn't do that," he murmured.

Then they heard movement coming from upstairs. Harry looked at the girls and nodded before setting off for the hallway. He led the way up the stairs, and when they reached the top floor, he quickly put his wand out. There was a door ahead of them that was open, and they could hear faint moaning from inside the room. They tiptoed forward and entered.

There was a large bed at one end of the room, and Crookshanks was lying in the middle of it. On the floor next to the bed sat Ron, his leg bent at an odd angle, grimacing in pain. Lucy, Harry, and Hermione hurried to their friend.

"Ron—are you okay?" Hermione asked.

"What happened?" Lucy asked.

"Where's the dog?" Harry asked.

"Not a dog," Ron replied, breathing harshly. "Harry, it's a trap…"

"What?" Harry asked.

"_He's the dog…_" Ron replied. "_He's an Animagus._…" He was looking at something behind Harry.

Lucy, Harry, and Hermione turned around to see a man standing by the doorway. He pushed the door shut and stepped out into the light. He was grinning, and Lucy immediately knew who he was.

_Sirius Black._

**~LJ:C~**

* * *

_**A/N: I had to modify the final exam schedule a little bit, because Lucy needed to be able to take all her exams without using a Time Turner. Therefore, she has three exams on Monday.**_


	15. 15: Moony

_**Disclaimer: Harry Potter is not mine.**_

* * *

**Chapter 15 – Moony**

"_Expelliarmus_!" Black said, pointing Ron's wand at the three newcomers. Lucy's, Harry's, and Hermione's wands flew out of their hands, and Black caught them easily. Then he slowly advanced on them. "I thought you'd come and help your friend," he said. "Your father would have done the same for me. Brave of you, not to run for a teacher. I'm grateful.… It will make everything much easier—"

Harry made to run towards Black, but Lucy and Hermione grabbed his arms and held him back.

"No, Harry!" Hermione cried.

"If you want to kill Harry, you'll have to kill us, too!" Ron yelled, attempting to stand.

"Lie down," Black said. "You will damage that leg even more."

"Did you hear me?" Ron asked, ignoring the man. "You'll have to kill all four of us!"

"There'll only be one murder here tonight," Black replied, grinning to himself.

"Why's that?" Harry asked harshly. He was struggling to break free of Lucy's and Hermione's hold. "Didn't care last time, did you? Didn't mind slaughtering all those Muggles to get at Pettigrew.… What's the matter? Gone soft in Azkaban?"

"Harry!" Hermione hissed. "Be quiet!"

"HE KILLED MY MUM AND DAD!" Harry roared and managed to pull away from the girls.

He jumped at Black, who looked shocked, and punched him in the side of the head. The two fell over, the wands Black held in his hand sending jets of light across the room. Lucy and Hermione screamed as Harry punched Black repeatedly. Black grabbed Harry by his throat and pushed him away.

Hermione ran forward and kicked Black in the side, loosening his hold on Harry. Ron, who had finally gotten to his feet, grabbed Black's arm and freed the wands he was holding.

Lucy dove after the first wand she saw, but Crookshanks leapt onto her arm and sunk his claws in. She yelped and shook the cat off, then kicked at him so he jumped away. "Harry!" she shouted.

Harry looked up, and Lucy kicked his wand to him. Harry snatched it up, turned, and bellowed, "Get out of the way!" to Ron and Hermione. They sprang away, Hermione picking up the other three wands and Ron collapsing on the floor beside the bed.

Lucy hurried over to him. "Are you okay?" she asked.

Ron nodded once and winced as he adjusted his broken leg.

"Going to kill me, Harry?" Black said from where he sat against the opposite wall.

Harry was walking towards him, his wand aimed at the man's chest. "You killed my parents," Harry repeated, breathing hard.

"I don't deny it," Black said, and Lucy gasped. "But if you knew the whole story—"

"The whole story?" Harry scoffed. "You sold them to Voldemort. That's all I need to know."

"You've got to listen to me," Black said.

He glanced at Lucy, and his eyes widened in surprise. She knew in that moment that he recognized her, and she lifted her chin defiantly, giving him a hard look.

He stared back at her and continued, "You'll regret it if you don't.… You don't understand—"

"I understand a lot better than you think," Harry snarled, and Black turned back to him. "You never heard her, did you? My mum… trying to stop Voldemort killing me.… You did that—you did it—"

There was a scuffle of paws across the floor, and Crookshanks interrupted by jumping up and lightly landing on Black's chest.

"Get off," Black said to the cat, but he wouldn't budge.

Harry slowly raised his wand, but he froze, seeming unable to do anything but point his wand at Black.

Then they all heard a sound coming from below them.

"WE'RE UP HERE!" Hermione shouted. "WE'RE UP HERE—SIRIUS BLACK—_QUICK_!"

Black jerked in surprise, and they heard footsteps running up the stairs. Professor Lupin appeared in the doorway of the room, looking shocked at the situation he had walked in on. Lucy felt immediate relief barrel through her at the sight of him.

"_Expelliarmus_!" Lupin said, waving his wand.

Harry's wand shot out of his hand, along with the three in Hermione's, and Lupin caught them all. He stepped into the room, and Lucy grabbed Hermione's arm and pulled her back to stand next to herself and Ron.

"Where is he, Sirius?" Lupin asked quietly.

Black raised his arm and pointed towards Ron. Lucy took an instinctive step in front of Ron, shielding him.

"But then…" Lupin began, looking only at Black, "why hasn't he shown himself before now? Unless—unless _he_ was the one—unless you switched… without telling me."

Black nodded slowly.

"Professor, what's going on…?" Harry asked, sounding very confused.

Lupin ignored him, strode over to Black, and offered his hand to the man. He hauled Black to his feet and pulled him into a hug. Lucy felt her eyes widen. Harry looked over at her and Ron, lost for words.

"I DON'T BELIEVE IT!" Hermione cried. Lupin looked around at her, and she pointed at him. "You—you—!" she shouted.

Lupin started, "Hermione—"

"You and him!" Hermione gasped, shaking her head violently.

"Hermione, calm down," Lupin said.

"I didn't tell anyone!" Hermione shouted. "I've been covering up for you—"

"Hermione, listen to me, please!" Lupin cut in. "I can explain—"

"I trusted you!" Harry yelled. "And all this time, you've been his friend!"

"You're wrong," Lupin replied. "I haven't been Sirius's friend, but I am now—Let me explain—"

"NO!" Hermione interrupted. "Harry, don't trust him! He's been helping Black get into the castle! He wants you dead, too! _He's a werewolf_!"

There was silence, and everyone looked at Lupin

"Not at all up to your usual standard at all, Hermione," he said, and Lucy could see the hurt in his expression. "Only one out of three, I'm afraid. I have _not_ been helping Sirius get into the castle, and I certainly don't want Harry dead.… But I won't deny that I am a werewolf."

Behind Lucy, Ron tried to stand but fell back down with a painful moan. Lucy turned worriedly to him, and Lupin also stepped towards him.

"_Get away from me, werewolf_!" Ron said.

"Ron, stop it," Lucy said. "And stop moving—you're going to hurt your leg more."

"How long have you known?" Lupin asked Hermione.

"Ages," Hermione replied. "Since I did Professor Snape's essay.…"

"He'll be delighted," Lupin said dryly. "He assigned that essay hoping someone would realize what my symptoms meant.… Did you check the lunar chart and realize that I was always ill at the full moon, or did you realize that the boggart changed into the moon when it saw me?"

"Both," Hermione whispered.

"You're the cleverest witch of your age I've ever met, Hermione," Lupin said with a small smile.

"I'm not," Hermione replied. "If I'd been a bit cleverer, I'd have told everyone what you are!"

"But they already know," Lupin said. "At least, the staff do."

"Dumbledore hired you when he knew you were a werewolf?" Ron spoke up from the bed. "Is he mad?"

"_Stop_ _it_, Ron," Lucy repeated.

"It's okay, Lucy," Lupin said. "Some of the staff thought Dumbledore was mad. He had to work very hard to convince certain teachers that I'm trustworthy—"

"AND HE WAS WRONG!" Harry shouted. "YOU'VE BEEN HELPING _HIM_ ALL THIS TIME!"

"SHUT UP!" Lucy shouted. "He's said twice now that he wasn't helping Black, now hear him out!"

Harry frowned at Lucy, confused as to why she was defending a werewolf. She couldn't help herself; she knew that Lupin hadn't betrayed her parents, so if there was something going on with Black, she wanted to hear what he had to say. The amount of trust that Lucy held for Lupin surprised even herself.

"I have _not_ been helping Sirius," Lupin said. "If you'll give me a chance, I'll explain. Look—" He tossed each of the Gryffindor third-years their wands back, and they caught them. Then he stowed his own wand away in his robes. "There," he said. "You're armed; we're not. _Now_ will you listen?"

"If you haven't been helping him," Harry said, "how did you know he was here?"

"The map," Lupin replied. "The Marauder's Map. I was in my office examining it—"

"You know how to work it?" Harry gasped.

"Of course I know how to work it," Lupin replied. "I helped write it. I'm Moony—that was my friends' nickname for me at school."

_Uncle Moony_, Lucy thought.

Harry, looking dumbfounded, asked, "_You_ wrote—?"

"The important thing is, I was watching it carefully this evening because I had an idea that you, Lucy, Ron, and Hermione might try and sneak out of the castle to visit Hagrid before his hippogriff was executed," Lupin started. "And I was right, wasn't I?" He began to pace the floor. "You might have been wearing your father's old cloak, Harry—"

"How d'you know about the cloak?" Harry interrupted.

"The number of times I saw James disappearing under it…" Lupin replied. "The point is, even if you're wearing an Invisibility Cloak, you still show up on the Marauder's Map. I watched you cross the grounds and enter Hagrid's hut. Twenty minutes later, you left Hagrid's and set off back toward the castle, but you were now accompanied by somebody else."

"What?" Harry said, sounding confused. "No, we weren't!"

Lucy's eyes widened; but they _had_ been joined by someone: Scabbers.

"I couldn't believe my eyes," Lupin continued. "I thought the map must be malfunctioning. How could he be with you?"

"No one was with us!" Harry insisted.

"Scabbers was with us," Lucy said quietly.

"Then I saw another dot, moving fast toward you, labeled _Sirius Black._… I saw him collide with you," Lupin said. "I watched as he pulled two of you into the Whomping Willow—"

"One of us!" Ron replied.

"No, Ron," Lupin said. "_Two_ of you."

"Scabbers," Lucy repeated.

Lupin nodded. "Do you think I could have a look at the rat?" he asked Ron.

"What?" Ron said. "What's Scabbers got to do with it?"

"Everything," Lupin replied. "Could I see him please?"

Ron shook his head fearfully.

"Ron, let him see the rat," Lucy said.

Ron glared at her but took Scabbers out of his pocket. Scabbers tried to escape, but Ron held him tightly. Lupin walked closer and bent down, examining Scabbers.

"What?" Ron asked. "What's my rat got to do with anything?"

"That's not a rat," Black spoke up.

"Wh-what d'you mean?" Ron sputtered. "Of _course_ he's a rat—"

"No, he's not," Lupin said. "He's a wizard."

"An Animagus," Black added, "by the name of Peter Pettigrew."

There was silence for a moment or two.

"You're both mental," Ron whispered.

"Ridiculous!" Hermione piped up.

"Peter Pettigrew's _dead_!" Harry said. "_He_ killed him twelve years ago!" He pointed at Black.

"I meant to," Black said, "but little Peter got the better of me.… Not this time, though!" He lunged forward, falling onto Ron as he tried to wrench the rat from his hands.

"Sirius, NO!" Lupin shouted, grabbing his friend and pulling him back. "WAIT! You can't do it just like that—they need to understand—we've got to explain—"

"We can explain afterwards!" Black cried.

"They've—got—a right—to know—everything!" Lupin yelled, struggling to keep Black away from Ron. "Ron's kept him as a pet! There are parts of it even _I_ don't understand! And Harry and—you owe _them_ the truth, Sirius!"

Lucy noticed the emphasis that Lupin had put on the word _them_ and knew that he was talking about her and Harry, not all four of them.

Black finally stopped moving, his eyes darting between Scabbers, Harry, and Lucy. After a moment, he said, "All right, then. Tell them whatever you like. Just make it quick, Remus. I want to commit the murder I was imprisoned for.…"

"You're nutters—both of you," Ron said. "I've had enough of this. I'm off." He tried to stand up.

Lucy put her hand on his arm. "Stay put, Ron," she murmured.

"You're going to hear me out, Ron," Lupin said, raising his wand and pointing it at the rat in Ron's hand. "Just keep a tight hold on Peter while you listen."

"HE'S NOT PETER! HE'S SCABBERS!" Ron shouted.

"There were witnesses who saw Pettigrew die," Harry said to Lupin. "A whole street full of them—"

"They didn't see what they thought they saw!" Black growled.

"Everyone thought Sirius killed Peter," Lupin said. "I believed it myself—until I saw the map tonight. The Marauder's Map never lies.… Peter's alive. Ron's holding him, Harry."

Harry exchanged a look with Ron, and Lucy knew they both were unconvinced.

"But Professor Lupin," Hermione said, "Scabbers can't be Pettigrew.… It just can't be true. You know it can't—"

"Why can't it be true?" Lupin asked.

"Because—" Hermione said. "Because people would _know_ if Peter Pettigrew had been an Animagus. We did Animagi in class with Professor McGonagall. I looked them up when I did my homework—the Ministry of Magic keeps tabs on witches and wizards who can become animals; there's a register showing what animal they become and their markings and things.… I went and looked Professor McGonagall up on the register, and there have been only seven Animagi in this century. Pettigrew's name wasn't on the list—"

"Just because you're _supposed_ to register with the Ministry if you're an Animagus doesn't mean that everyone will," Lucy countered. "Maybe Pettigrew never registered—"

Lupin laughed. "You're certainly correct, Hermione," he said. "Animagi are supposed to register with the Ministry. But Lucy has the right idea; in fact, the Ministry never knew that there used to be three unregistered Animagi running around Hogwarts."

"If you're going to tell them the story, get a move on, Remus," Black muttered. "I've waited twelve years; I'm not going to wait much longer."

"All right…" Lupin sighed. "But you'll need to help me, Sirius. I only know how it began.…"

Suddenly, the door swung open.

Lupin hurried over to it and looked out onto the landing. "No one there," he reported.

"This place is haunted!" Ron said.

"It's not," Lupin replied. "The Shrieking Shack was never haunted.… The screams and howls the villagers used to hear were made by me." He paused before looking back at the group. "That's where all of this starts—with my becoming a werewolf. None of this could have happened if I hadn't been bitten… and if I hadn't been so foolhardy."

Ron made to interrupt, but both Lucy and Hermione shushed him.

"I was a very small boy when I received the bite," Lupin began. "My parents tried everything, but in those days, there was no cure. The potion that Professor Snape has been making for me is a very recent discovery. It makes me safe, you see. As long as I take it in the week preceding the full moon, I keep my mind when I transform.… I am able to curl up in my office, a harmless wolf, and wait for the moon to wane again.

"Before the Wolfsbane Potion was discovered, however, I became a fully-fledged monster once a month. It seemed impossible that I would be able to come to Hogwarts. Other parents weren't likely to want their children exposed to me. Then Dumbledore became headmaster, and he was sympathetic. He said that as long as we took certain precautions, there was no reason I shouldn't come to school…" Lupin broke off, sighing.

"I told you, months ago, that the Whomping Willow was planted the year I came to Hogwarts," he continued. "The truth is that it was planted _because_ I came to Hogwarts. This house and the tunnel that leads to it—they were built for my use. Once a month, I was smuggled out of the castle and into this place to transform. The tree was planted at the tunnel mouth to stop anyone coming across me while I was dangerous."

Everyone hung onto Lupin's every word… except Black, who wouldn't take his eyes off the rat in Ron's hand.

"My transformations in those days were—were terrible," Lupin went on. "It was very painful to turn into a werewolf. I was separated from humans to bite, so I bit and scratched myself instead. The villagers heard the noise and the screaming and thought they were hearing particularly violent spirits. Dumbledore encouraged the rumor.… Even now, when the house has been silent for years, the villagers don't dare approach it.…

"Apart from my transformations, however, I was happier than I had ever been in my life. For the first time ever, I had friends—three great friends. Sirius Black— Peter Pettigrew—and, of course, your father, Harry—James Potter." Lupin glanced over at Lucy.

"Now, my three friends could hardly fail to notice that I disappeared once a month," Lupin said, with a small smile. "I made up all sorts of stories. I told them my mother was ill, and that I had to go home to see her.… I was terrified that they would desert me the moment they found out what I was. Of course, they—like you, Hermione—eventually worked out the truth.…

"And they didn't desert me at all. Instead they did something for me that would make my transformations not only bearable, but the best times of my life. They became Animagi."

"My dad, too?" Harry asked.

"Yes, indeed," Lupin confirmed. "It took them the best part of three years to work out how to do it. Your father and Sirius here were the cleverest students in the school, and lucky they were, because the Animagus transformation can go horribly wrong—one reason the Ministry keeps a close watch on those attempting to do it. Peter needed all the help he could get from James and Sirius. Finally, in our fifth year, they managed it. They could each turn into a different animal at will."

"How did that help you?" Hermione asked.

"They couldn't keep me company as humans, so they kept me company as animals," Lupin replied. "A werewolf is only a danger to people. They sneaked out of the castle every month under James's Invisibility Cloak. They transformed.… Peter, as the smallest, could slip beneath the willow's attacking branches and touch the knot that freezes it. They would then slip down the tunnel and join me. Under their influence, I became less dangerous. My body was still wolfish, but my mind seemed to become less so while I was with them."

"Hurry up, Remus," Black snapped.

"I'm getting there, Sirius. I'm getting there…" Lupin said, waving his hand dismissively at Black. "Well, highly exciting possibilities were open to us now that we could all transform. Soon we were leaving the Shrieking Shack and roaming the school grounds and the village by night. Sirius and James transformed into such large animals that they were able to keep a werewolf in check. I doubt whether any Hogwarts student ever found out more about the Hogwarts grounds and Hogsmeade than we did.… That's how we came to write the Marauder's Map and sign it with our nicknames. Sirius is Padfoot, Peter is Wormtail, and James was Prongs."

Harry started to ask, "What sort of animal—?"

"That was still really dangerous!" Hermione interrupted. "Running around in the dark with a werewolf! What if you'd given the others the slip and bitten somebody?"

"A thought that still haunts me," Lupin said, nodding. "There were near misses—many of them. We laughed about them afterwards. We were young and thoughtless—carried away with our own cleverness.…

"I sometimes felt guilty about betraying Dumbledore's trust, of course.… He had admitted me to Hogwarts when no other headmaster would have done so, and he had no idea I was breaking the rules he had set down for my own and others' safety. He never knew I had led three fellow students into becoming Animagi illegally. Yet I always managed to forget my guilty feelings every time we sat down to plan our next month's adventure. And I haven't changed.…

"All this year, I have been battling with myself, wondering whether I should tell Dumbledore that Sirius was an Animagus. I didn't do it. Why? I was too cowardly. It would have meant admitting that I'd betrayed his trust while I was at school and admitting that I'd led others along with me… and Dumbledore's trust has meant everything to me. He let me into Hogwarts as a boy, and he gave me a job when I have been shunned all my adult life, unable to find paid work because of what I am.

"So, I convinced myself that Sirius was getting into the school using Dark Arts he learned from Voldemort and that being an Animagus had nothing to do with it.… So, in a way, Snape's been right about me all along."

"Snape?" Black said, finally looking away from the rat. "What's Snape got to do with it?"

"He's here, Sirius," Lupin replied. "He's teaching here, as well." He looked over at the third-year students. "Professor Snape was at school with us. He fought very hard against my appointment to Defense Against the Dark Arts job. He has been telling Dumbledore all year that I am not to be trusted. He has his reasons.… You see, Sirius here played a trick on him which nearly killed him; a trick which involved me—"

"It served him right," Black interrupted loftily. "Sneaking around and trying to find out what we were up to… hoping he could get us expelled.…"

"Severus was very interested in where I went every month," Lupin explained. "We were in the same year, you know, and we—er—we didn't like each other very much. He especially disliked James. Jealous, I think, of James's talent on the Quidditch field.…

"Anyway, Snape had seen me crossing the grounds with Madam Pomfrey one evening as she led me towards the Whomping Willow to transform. Sirius thought it would be—er—amusing to tell Snape all he had to do was prod the knot on the tree trunk with a long stick, and he'd be able to get in after me. Well, of course, Snape tried it—if he'd got as far as this house, he'd have met a fully-grown werewolf—but James, who'd heard what Sirius had done, went after Snape and pulled him back, at great risk to his life.… Snape glimpsed me, though, at the end of the tunnel. He was forbidden by Dumbledore to tell anybody, but from that time on he knew what I was.…"

"So _that's_ why Snape doesn't like you?" Harry said. "Because he thought you were in on the joke?"

"That's right," a new voice said. Snape appeared from beside the bedroom door, pulling off Harry's Invisibility Cloak, with his wand pointed at Lupin's chest.

**~LJ:C~**

* * *

_**A/N: Yeah, Sirius recognizes Lucy right away, and he knew about the plan to remove her from the house, which is why he knows to keep his mouth shut about her in front of Harry.**_


	16. 16: Wormtail

_**Disclaimer: Harry Potter is not mine.**_

* * *

**Chapter 16 – Wormtail**

"I found this at the base of the Whomping Willow," Snape said as he lazily tossed the Invisibility Cloak aside. "Very useful, Potter. I thank you.…" He paused, clearly pleased with what he had found.

"You're wondering, perhaps, how I knew you were here?" he went on. "I've just been to your office, Lupin. You forgot to take your potion tonight, so I took a gobletful along. Very lucky I did… lucky for me, I mean. Lying on your desk was a certain map. One glance at it told me all I needed to know. I saw you running along this passageway and out of sight."

Lupin said, "Severus—"

"I've told the headmaster again and again that you're helping your old friend Black into the castle, Lupin," Snape interrupted him, "and here's the proof. Not even _I_ dreamed you would have the nerve to use this old place as your hideout—"

"Severus, you're making a mistake," Lupin said. "You haven't heard everything—I can explain—Sirius is not here to kill Harry—"

"Two more for Azkaban tonight," Snape continued, not listening to what Lupin had to say. "I shall be interested to see how Dumbledore takes this.… He was quite convinced you were harmless, you know, Lupin… a _tame_ werewolf.…"

"You fool," Lupin said with a shake of his head. "Is a schoolboy grudge worth putting an innocent man back inside Azkaban?"

Snape waved his wand, and cords burst from the end. They wrapped themselves around Lupin, who fell over and was unable to move or speak. Lucy gasped, and Black rushed at Snape but stopped short when Snape turned his wand to Black.

"Give me a reason," Snape hissed. "Give me a reason to do it, and I swear I will."

Black didn't say anything but glared at Snape. Harry looked around to his friends, confused as to what he should do.

"Professor Snape," Hermione spoke up timidly. "It—It wouldn't hurt to hear what they've got to say, w-would it?"

"Miss Granger, you are already facing suspension from this school," Snape snarled. "You, Potter, Weasley, and Jones are out-of-bounds in the company of a convicted murderer and a werewolf. For once in your life, _hold your tongue_."

"But," Hermione tried again, "if there was a mistake—"

"KEEP QUIET, YOU STUPID GIRL!" Snape yelled. "DON'T TALK ABOUT WHAT YOU DON'T UNDERSTAND!"

"Don't yell at her!" Lucy snapped. "Obviously _you_ don't understand what's going on here, because you're so scared to let Professor Lupin tell you their story!"

"Be quiet!" Snape shouted. "This has nothing to do with any of you!"

"It has _everything_ to do with Harry!" Lucy replied. "This man was imprisoned—possibly wrongly—for betraying Harry's parents and giving them over to You-Know-Who! We want to hear what they have to say!"

"SHUT UP!" Snape thundered, looking angrier than Lucy had ever seen him.

But she didn't care. She knew that Lupin was right; Snape was refusing to hear Lupin out because of an old grudge.

Shaking, Snape turned back to Black. "Vengeance is very sweet," he said, trying to calm himself. "How I hoped I would be the one to catch you—"

"The joke's on you again, Severus," Black replied. "As long as this boy brings his rat up to the castle, I'll come quietly—"

"Up to the castle?" Snape repeated. "I don't think we need to go that far. All I have to do is call the dementors once we get out of the willow. They'll be very pleased to see you, Black… pleased enough to give you a little kiss, I daresay—"

"NO!" Lucy and Harry shouted, and Snape glared menacingly at them.

"You—you've got to hear me out," Black said, looking scared for the first time that night. "The rat—look at the rat—"

"Come on, all of you," Snape said, a twisted grin forming on his lips. He snapped his fingers, and the ends of the cords wrapped around Lupin sprang into Snape's hands. "I'll drag the werewolf. Perhaps the dementors will have a kiss for him, too.…"

"You can't—!" Lucy gasped, and Harry hurried to the door to block it.

"Get out of the way, Potter. You're in enough trouble already," Snape said. "If I hadn't been here to save your skin—"

"Professor Lupin could have killed me about a hundred times this year," Harry said. "I've been alone with him loads of times having defense lessons against the dementors. If he was helping Black, why didn't he just finish me off then?"

"Don't ask me to fathom the way a werewolf's mind works," Snape sneered.

"His mind works just like anyone else's does!" Lucy spat. "He's a human every other day but on the full moon!"

"Be quiet, girl," Snape said. "Get out of the way, Potter."

"YOU'RE PATHETIC!" Harry shouted. "JUST BECAUSE THEY MADE A FOOL OF YOU AT SCHOOL, YOU WON'T EVEN LISTEN—!"

"SILENCE!" Snape screamed. "I WILL NOT BE SPOKEN TO LIKE THAT! Like father, like son, Potter! I have just saved your neck; you should be thanking me on bended knee! You would have been well served if he'd killed you! You'd have died like your father, too arrogant to believe you might be mistaken in Black—now get out of the way, or I will _make you_. GET OUT OF THE WAY, POTTER!"

Lucy lifted her wand and pointed it at Snape. "_Expelliarmus_!" she cried.

She heard three other voices echo the same spell, and four jets of light hit Snape in the chest. He was blasted off his feet, and he slammed into the wall, which knocked him unconscious. Lucy glanced at Harry, who was breathing heavily. Then she looked at Ron and Hermione, who had also tried to disarm the Potions master at the same time as she and Harry had.

"You shouldn't have done that," Black said, his eyes wide. "You should have left him to me—"

"Well, no offense, but what were you going to do?" Lucy asked. "You were unarmed."

"We attacked a teacher," Hermione murmured, looking horrified. "We attacked a teacher.… Oh, we're going to be in so much trouble.…"

Lucy hurried over and put an arm around her. Black bent over and untied the cords that were still around Lupin.

Lupin sat up, sighing. "Thank you, Harry," he said.

"I'm still not saying I believe you," Harry replied.

"Then it's time we offered you some proof," Lupin said. He held his hand out to Ron. "Ron—give me Peter, please. Now."

"Come off it," Ron said, unwilling to give up the rat. "Are you trying to say he broke out of Azkaban just to get his hands on _Scabbers_? I mean…" Ron trailed off, looking at his friends desperately. "Okay, say Pettigrew could turn into a rat—there are millions of rats—how's he supposed to know which one he's after if he was locked up in Azkaban?"

"You know, Sirius, that's a fair question," Lupin said, dropping his hand and turning to Black. "How _did_ you find out where he was?"

Black pulled a page of the newspaper out of his robes and showed it to them. It was the picture of the Weasley family in Egypt from the past summer, including Scabbers sitting on Ron's shoulder.

"How did you get this?" Lupin asked.

"Fudge," Black answered. "When he came to inspect Azkaban last year, he gave me his paper. There was Peter on the front page… on this boy's shoulder.… I knew him at once—how many times had I seen him transform? The caption said the boy would be going back to Hogwarts… to where Harry was.…"

"My God," Lupin said, examining the photo closely. "His front paw—"

"What about it?" Ron asked.

"He's got a toe missing," Black said, nodding.

"Of course," Lupin murmured. "So simple—so _brilliant._… He cut it off himself?"

"Just before he transformed," Black confirmed. "When I cornered him, he yelled for the whole street to hear that I'd betrayed Lily and James. Then, before I could curse him, he blew apart the street with the wand behind his back. He killed everyone within twenty feet of himself—and sped down into the sewer with the other rats.…"

"Didn't you ever hear, Ron?" Lupin asked. "The biggest bit of Peter they found was his finger."

"Look, Scabbers probably had a fight with another rat or something!" Ron insisted. "He's been in my family for ages, right—"

"Twelve years, in fact," Lupin said. "Didn't you ever wonder why he was living so long?"

"We—we've been taking good care of him!" Ron answered.

"Not looking too good at the moment, though, is he?" Lupin said. "I'd guess he's been losing weight ever since he heard Sirius was on the loose again—"

"He's been scared of that mad cat!" Ron exclaimed.

"He was looking sick before Hermione got Crookshanks, though," Lucy said thoughtfully. "That's why we went to the pet store in the first place—to get him some medicine—and that's where we met Crookshanks."

"This cat isn't mad," Black said. "He's the most intelligent of his kind I've ever met. He recognized Peter for what he was right away. And when he met me, he knew I was no dog. It was a while before he trusted me.… Finally, I managed to communicate to him what I was after, and he's been helping me.…"

"What do you mean?" Hermione asked.

"He tried to bring Peter to me but couldn't," Black answered. "So, he stole the passwords into Gryffindor Tower for me—as I understand it, he took them from a boy's bedside table.… But Peter got wind of what was going on and ran for it.… This cat—Crookshanks, did you call him?—told me Peter had left blood on the sheet.… I supposed he bit himself—well, faking his own death had worked once—"

"And why did he fake his death?" Harry cut in angrily. "Because he knew you were about to kill him like you killed my parents!"

"No," Lupin said, "Harry—"

"And now you've come to finish him off!" Harry shouted above Lupin.

"Yes, I have," Black replied.

"Then I should've let Snape take you!" Harry yelled.

"_Harry_," Lucy said.

"Harry, don't you see?" Lupin said. "All this time we've thought Sirius betrayed your parents, and Peter tracked him down—but it was the other way around, don't you see? _Peter_ betrayed your mother and father—Sirius tracked _Peter_ down—"

"THAT'S NOT TRUE!" Harry bellowed. "HE WAS THEIR SECRET-KEEPER! HE SAID SO BEFORE YOU TURNED UP! HE SAID HE KILLED THEM!"

"No, he didn't, Harry," Lucy said firmly.

"I as good as killed them," Black whispered, shaking his head sorrowfully. "I persuaded Lily and James to change to Peter at the last moment—persuaded them to use _him_ as Secret-Keeper instead of me.… I'm to blame. I know it.…

"The night they died, I'd arranged to check on Peter—make sure he was still safe—but when I arrived at his hiding place, he'd gone," Black explained. "Yet there was no sign of a struggle. It didn't feel right. I was scared. I set out for your parents' house straight away. When I saw their house, destroyed, and their bodies… I realized what Peter must've done—what _I'd_ done—"

Lucy's heart broke at his tone. He sounded so genuinely upset about Lily and James. Lucy found herself believing his version of the story, especially with Lupin backing him up. She really hoped that she wasn't falling for an act.

"Enough of this," Lupin said firmly. "There's one certain way to prove what really happened. Ron, _give me that rat_."

"What are you going to do with him if I give him to you?" Ron asked.

"Force him to show himself," Lupin replied. "If he really is a rat, it won't hurt him."

Ron hesitated.

"For Merlin's sake, _give_ _him_ _the_ _damn rat_, Ron," Lucy sighed.

Ron finally held Scabbers out, and Lupin took him.

"Ready, Sirius?" Lupin asked.

Black had picked up Snape's wand. "Together?" he said.

"I think so," Lupin answered. "On the count of three. One—two—THREE!"

The two men pointed their wands at the rat, and there was a bright light. The rat fell to the floor, wriggling, and there was another bright light. Then Scabbers the rat was gone; in his place, a small man was now standing. Lucy heard Ron gasp in surprise.

"Why, hello, Peter," Lupin said. "Long time, no see."

"S-Sirius… R-Remus…" Pettigrew said. "My friends… my old friends—"

Black pointed Snape's wand at the man, but Lupin stopped him.

"We've been having a little chat, Peter, about what happened the night Lily and James died," Lupin continued. "You might have missed the finer points while you were squeaking around down there on the bed—"

"Remus," Pettigrew said in a desperate voice, "you don't believe him, do you…? He tried to _kill_ me, Remus.…"

"So we've heard," Lupin said. "I'd like to clear up one or two little matters with you, Peter, if you'd be so—"

"He's come to try and kill me again!" Pettigrew interrupted, pointing at Black. "He killed Lily and James, and now he's going to kill me, too.… You've got to help me, Remus.…"

"No one's going to try and kill you until we've sorted a few things out," Lupin said.

"Sorted things out?" Pettigrew asked. "I knew he'd come after me! I knew he'd be back for me! I've been waiting for this for twelve years!"

"You knew Sirius was going to break out of Azkaban?" Lupin said, looking suspiciously at Pettigrew. "When nobody has ever done it before?"

"He's got dark powers the rest of us can only dream of!" Pettigrew announced. "How else did he get out of there? I suppose He-Who-Must-Not-Be-Named taught him a few tricks!"

Black let out a loud laugh. "Voldemort, teach me tricks?" he said, and Pettigrew winced. "What, scared to hear your old master's name?" Black taunted. "I don't blame you, Peter. His lot aren't very happy with you, are they?"

Pettigrew said, trembling, "I don't know what you mean, Sirius—"

"You haven't been hiding from _me_ for twelve years," Black said. "You've been hiding from Voldemort's old supporters. I heard things in Azkaban, Peter.… They all think you're dead, or you'd have to answer to them.… I've heard them screaming all sorts of things in their sleep. Sounds like they think the double-crosser double-crossed them. Voldemort went to the Potters' on your information… and Voldemort met his downfall there. And not all Voldemort's supporters ended up in Azkaban, did they? There are still plenty out here—biding their time—pretending they've seen the error of their ways.… If they ever got wind that you were still alive, Peter—"

"Don't know… what you're talking about…" Pettigrew stammered. He looked at Lupin. "You don't believe this—this _madness_, Remus—"

"I must admit, Peter, I have difficulty in understanding why an innocent man would want to spend twelve years as a rat," Lupin replied.

"Innocent, but scared!" Pettigrew said. "If Voldemort's supporters were after me, it was because I put one of their best men in Azkaban—the spy, Sirius Black!"

"How dare you," Black snarled. "I, a spy for Voldemort? When did I ever sneak around people who were stronger and more powerful than myself? But you, Peter—I'll _never_ understand why I didn't see you were the spy from the start. You always liked big friends who'd look after you, didn't you? It used to be us—me and Remus… and James—"

"Me, a spy," Pettigrew muttered. "Must be out of your mind—never—don't know how you can say such a—"

"Lily and James only made you Secret-Keeper because I suggested it," Black said. "I thought it was the perfect plan—a bluff.… Voldemort would be sure to come after me—would never dream they'd use a weak, talentless thing like _you_.… It must have been the finest moment of your miserable life, telling Voldemort you could hand him the Potters."

Pettigrew was muttering under his breath, but Lucy couldn't hear anything he was saying.

"Professor Lupin?" Hermione asked. "Can—can I say something?"

"Certainly, Hermione," Lupin replied.

"Well—Scabbers—I mean, this—this man," Hermione started, "he's been sleeping in Harry's dormitory for three years. If he's working for You-Know-Who, how come he never tried to hurt Harry before now?"

"There!" Pettigrew said. "Thank you! You see, Remus? I have never hurt a hair on Harry's head! Why should I?"

"I'll tell you why," Black growled. "You never did anything for anyone unless you could see what was in it for you. Voldemort's been in hiding for fifteen years—they say he's half dead. You weren't about to commit murder right under Albus Dumbledore's nose for a wreck of a wizard who'd lost all his power, were you? You'd want to be quite sure he was the biggest bully on the playground before you went back to him, wouldn't you? Why else did you find a wizard family to take you in? Keeping an ear out for news, weren't you, Peter? Just in case your old protector regained strength, and it was safe to rejoin him.…"

Pettigrew was rendered speechless.

"Er—Mr. Black—Sirius?" Lucy said, unsure of how to address him. _Or maybe I should call him Godfather_, she thought dryly to herself. Black turned to look at her, gazing at her intensely, and she asked, "How _did_ you get out of Azkaban, if you didn't use Dark magic?"

"Thank you!" Pettigrew said. "Exactly! Precisely what I—"

"I wasn't talking to _you_," Lucy snapped, glaring at him.

Pettigrew, looking surprised and scared, shut his mouth.

"I don't know how I did it," Black replied, furrowing his brow. "I think the only reason I never lost my mind is that I knew I was innocent. That wasn't a happy thought, so the dementors couldn't suck it out of me.… It kept me sane and knowing who I am—helped me keep my powers—so when it all became… too much… I could transform in my cell—become a dog.

"Dementors can't see, you know.… They feel their way toward people by feeding off their emotions.… They could tell that my feelings were less—less human—less complex—when I was a dog… but they thought, of course, that I was losing my mind like everyone else in there. It didn't trouble them. I was weak—very weak—and I had no hope of driving them away from me without a wand.…

"Then I saw Peter in that picture.…" Black's voice grew stronger. "I realized he was at Hogwarts with Harry—perfectly positioned to act, if one hint reached his ears that the Dark Side was gathering strength again—ready to strike at the moment he could be sure of allies… and to deliver the last Potter to them."

Black paused, giving Lucy a private smile, as they both knew that Harry wasn't the last Potter. Then he continued, "If he gave them Harry, who'd dare say he'd betrayed Lord Voldemort? He'd be welcomed back with honors.… So, you see, I had to do something. I was the only one who knew Peter was still alive.…

"It was as if someone had lit a fire in my head, and the dementors couldn't destroy it.… It wasn't a happy feeling—it was an _obsession_—but it gave me strength; it cleared my mind. So, one night when they opened my door to bring food, I slipped past them as a dog.… It's so much harder for them to sense animal emotions that they were confused.… I was thin—very thin—thin enough to slip through the bars.…

"I swam as a dog back to the mainland.… I journeyed north and slipped into the Hogwarts grounds as a dog. I've been living in the forest ever since, except when I came to watch the Quidditch match, of course. You fly as well as your father did, Harry.…"

He looked at his godson. "Believe me. _Believe me,_ Harry. I never betrayed James and Lily. I would have _died_ before I betrayed them."

Harry stared at Black for a moment, before nodding slowly. Black glanced at Lucy, who gave him a single nod as well.

"No!" Pettigrew cried, throwing himself onto the ground. "Sirius—it's me… it's Peter… your friend.…" He crawled forward, reaching out to Black. "You wouldn't—!"

"There's enough filth on my robes without _you_ touching them," Black snarled, aiming a kick at Pettigrew's hands.

"Remus!" Pettigrew exclaimed, turning to Lupin. "You don't believe this.… Wouldn't Sirius have told you they'd changed the plan?"

"Not if he thought _I_ was the spy, Peter," Lupin replied. "I assume that's why you didn't tell me, Sirius?"

"Forgive me, Remus," Black said.

"Not at all, Padfoot, old friend," Lupin said. "Will you, in turn, forgive _me_ for believing _you_ were the spy?"

"Of course," Black replied. He rolled the sleeves of his robe up. "Shall we kill him together?"

"Yes, I think so," Lupin said, frowning.

"You wouldn't—you won't—" Pettigrew stuttered. He crawled towards Ron. "Ron… haven't I been a good friend—a good pet? You won't let them kill me, Ron, will you…? You're on my side, aren't you?"

"I let you sleep in my _bed_!" Ron said, looking disgusted.

"Kind boy—kind master—" Pettigrew continued, still begging at Ron's feet, "you won't let them do it.… I was your rat.… I was a good pet—"

"If you made a better rat than a human, it's not much to boast about, Peter," Black said.

Ron painfully pulled his broken leg away from Pettigrew, who changed course and grabbed at Lucy's and Hermione's robes.

"Sweet girls—clever girls—you—you won't let them… Help me…" he begged.

Lucy and Hermione pulled their robes away from him. Hermione backed away, terrified, while Lucy glared down at him.

"Lucy—" Lupin said, the warning clear in his tone.

Lucy shook her head, not saying anything, even though she wanted to.

Pettigrew turned his attention to Harry. "Harry… Harry…" he said. "You look just like your father… just like him—"

"HOW _DARE_ YOU SPEAK TO HARRY?" Black burst out. "HOW _DARE_ YOU FACE HIM? HOW _DARE_ YOU TALK ABOUT JAMES IN FRONT OF HIM?"

"Harry," Pettigrew pleaded. "Harry, James wouldn't have wanted me killed.… James would have understood, Harry.… He would have shown me mercy—"

Black and Lupin grabbed Pettigrew by his arms and wrenched him back away from Harry. Lucy hurried over to join her brother, who was standing paralyzed in front of the bedroom door.

"You sold Lily and James to Voldemort," Black said. "Do you deny it?"

Pettigrew began to wail. "Sirius, Sirius, what could I have done?" he cried. "The Dark Lord—you have no idea—he has weapons you can't imagine.… I was scared, Sirius! I was never brave like you and Remus and James. I never meant it to happen.… He-Who-Must-Not-Be-Named forced me—"

"DON'T LIE!" Black yelled. "YOU'D BEEN PASSING INFORMATION TO HIM FOR A _YEAR_ BEFORE LILY AND JAMES DIED! YOU WERE HIS _SPY_!"

"He—he was taking over everywhere!" Pettigrew insisted. "Wh-what was there to be gained by refusing him?"

"What was there to be gained by fighting the most evil wizard who has ever existed?" Black said angrily. "Only _innocent_ _lives_, Peter!"

"You don't understand!" Pettigrew sobbed. "He would have _killed_ me, Sirius!"

"THEN YOU SHOULD HAVE _DIED_!" Black thundered. "_DIED_ RATHER THAN BETRAY YOUR FRIENDS, AS _WE_ WOULD HAVE DONE FOR _YOU_!" He and Lupin stood next to each other, raising their wands.

"You should have realized if Voldemort didn't kill you, we would," Lupin said. "Good-bye, Peter."

"NO!" Lucy and Harry yelled at the same time.

"You can't kill him," Harry said. "You can't."

"Harry, this piece of vermin is the reason you have no parents," Black said. He glanced at Lucy quickly. "This cringing bit of filth would have seen you die, too, without turning a hair. You heard him. His own stinking skin meant more to him than your whole family."

"You need him to confess," Lucy told Black. "If you don't have his testimony, you won't be able to clear your name."

Harry nodded. "We'll take him up to the castle," he said. "We'll hand him over to the dementors.… He can go to Azkaban… but don't kill him."

"Harry!" Pettigrew whispered, crawling forward to hug Harry's knees. "You—thank you—it's more than I deserve—"

"Damn right it is," Lucy muttered.

"Get off me," Harry snapped, stepping back. "I'm not doing this for _you_. I'm doing it because—I don't reckon my dad would've wanted them to become killers—just for you."

Black and Lupin looked at each other before lowering their wands.

"You're the only person who has the right to decide, Harry," Black said, "but think—think what he did—"

"He can go to Azkaban," Harry reasoned. "If anyone deserves that place, he does.…"

"Very well," Lupin said. "Stand aside, Harry." Harry gave Lupin a look, and Lupin added, "I'm going to tie him up. That's all—I swear."

Harry moved, and Lupin produced some cords from his wand. He tied up and gagged Pettigrew.

"But if you transform, Peter," Black warned, "we _will_ kill you. You agree, Harry?"

As Harry was looking at Pettigrew, Black shot Lucy a questioning look. Lucy inclined her head very slightly, as Harry nodded in agreement, as well.

"Right," Lupin said. "Ron, I can't mend bones nearly as well as Madam Pomfrey, so I think it's best if we just strap your leg up until we can get you to the hospital wing."

He walked over, tapped Ron's leg with his wand, and said, "_Ferula_." Bandages wrapped themselves around Ron's leg, along with a splint. Then Lupin offered Ron his hand, and Ron accepted, pulling himself to his feet. He put some weight on his injured leg.

"That's better," he reported. "Thanks."

"What about Professor Snape?" Hermione asked.

"There's nothing seriously wrong with him," Lupin replied, quickly checking Snape for a pulse. "You were just a little—overenthusiastic. Still out cold. Er—perhaps it will be best if we don't revive him until we're safely back in the castle. We can take him like this.… _Mobilicorpus_."

Snape's body hovered into the air, his feet a few inches from the ground. Lupin then stuffed Harry's Invisibility Cloak into his robe pocket.

"Two of us should be chained to _this_," Black said, looking down on Pettigrew. "Just to make sure."

"I'll do it," Lupin said.

"And me," Ron volunteered, walking gingerly forward.

Black waved his wand, and Pettigrew was chained in between Ron and Lupin.

"Let's go," Lupin said.

Crookshanks hopped up and led the way back to the tunnel under the Whomping Willow. Ron, Lupin, and Pettigrew followed slowly. Black went next, levitating Snape ahead of him. Lucy, Harry, and Hermione were the last in their line.

"You know what this means?" Black suddenly said while they were making their way through the tunnel. "Turning Pettigrew in?"

"You're free," Harry said.

"Yes…" Black said, "but I'm also—I don't know if anyone ever told you—I'm your godfather."

"Yeah, I knew that," Harry said.

"Well… your parents appointed me your guardian," Black said. "If anything happened to them—I'll understand, of course, if you want to stay with your aunt and uncle," he added hurriedly, "but… well… think about it. Once my name is cleared… if you wanted a—a different home—"

"What—live with you?" Harry asked. "Leave the Dursleys?"

"Of course, I thought you wouldn't want to," Black said. "I understand. I just thought I'd—"

"Are you insane?" Harry interrupted, sounding excited. "Of course I want to leave the Dursleys! Have you got a house? When can I move in?"

Black turned around to look at Harry. "You want to?" he asked. "You mean it?"

"Yeah, I mean it!" Harry exclaimed.

Black grinned. Then his eyes slid over to Lucy, looking apologetic, but Lucy didn't care. Harry needed a godfather more than she did. She gave Black a reassuring smile.

They finally reached the hole at the base of the willow. Lupin, Pettigrew, and Ron disappeared up the hole. Black sent Snape up next and then ushered Harry and Hermione ahead, but he stopped Lucy.

"Lucy," he said. "You look so much like your parents. I wasn't sure if I was ever going to see you again. The last time was on your first birthday. I'm assuming Harry doesn't know?"

"He has no idea," Lucy answered. "I only just found out a few months ago, and Dumbledore asked me to keep it to myself."

"I'm sorry I can't offer you the same thing as Harry," Black said, "but if we're supposed to keep this a secret, it's better if I don't invite you to stay—"

"I completely understand," Lucy said. "Harry needs you more than I do. His aunt and uncle are horrible to him, while I've got the Weasleys and my adoptive parents looking out for me."

"I'm glad you're not upset," Black said, smiling. "Someday, when we can tell Harry the truth, we'll be able to be a proper family. Now, go on. They're probably wondering what happened to us."

Lucy smiled back and scrambled up the hole. Black joined the group last, and they all began the walk back to the castle.

Then there was a breeze, and a cloud moved. They were bathed in moonlight. Lupin, Pettigrew, and Ron stopped suddenly. Black stopped, too, and motioned for Lucy, Harry, and Hermione to freeze.

"Oh, my—" Hermione gasped. She pointed at Lupin. "He didn't take his potion tonight! He's not safe!"

"Run," Black hissed to them. "Run! Now!"

"What about Ron?" Lucy asked.

Harry attempted to step forward, but Black stopped him. "Leave it to me," Black said. "RUN!" He had let Snape fall to the grass.

Lucy and Hermione took a few steps back, but Harry was rooted to the spot. They watched, horrified, as Lupin began his transformation into the werewolf. Hair sprouted all over his body, and his hands turned into paws.

Black ran forward, but he was no longer a man. He had transformed into the giant dog. As Lupin, now a wolf, pulled himself out of his chains, Black grabbed him around his neck and pulled him away from Ron and Pettigrew.

Hermione screamed, and Lucy pulled her wand out. Pettigrew had dived onto the ground, scooping up Lupin's wand. Ron, unbalanced, fell onto the grass. Pettigrew turned the stolen wand on Ron and sent a curse at him.

"Ron!" Lucy cried.

Then Pettigrew aimed a spell at Crookshanks, who flew into the air and then collapsed to the ground.

"_Expelliarmus_!" Harry shouted, and the wand in Pettigrew's hand went flying. "Stay where you are!" Harry shouted, running towards Pettigrew.

It was too late. The man immediately transformed and disappeared from sight.

"Ron!" Lucy shouted, running to him and falling on her knees next to him. "Ron, can you hear me? Wake up!"

Ron wasn't moving.

Hermione knelt next to them and checked for his pulse. "He's okay," she reported. "Just unconscious."

"Sirius!" Harry yelled.

Lucy and Hermione turned to see Lupin running off into the forest, while Black hung back.

"He's gone! Pettigrew transformed!" Harry said.

Black wheeled around and bolted off across the grounds, attempting to find Pettigrew again.

After a few moments of silence, Harry said, "We'd better get Ron and Snape up to the castle and tell someone what's happening."

Lucy and Hermione had just nodded their agreement when they could hear a dog whining somewhere nearby.

"Sirius," Harry muttered. He looked off to where the whining was coming from for a moment before sprinting away.

Lucy and Hermione scrambled after him.

They reached the shore of the lake when they found Black. He had turned back into a man, and he was cowering on his knees. "_Nooo_," he groaned. "_Nooo… please_…"

Hermione grabbed Lucy's arm, and Lucy looked up to see about one hundred dementors, gliding towards them from across the lake.

"Hermione! Lucy! Think of something happy!" Harry shouted.

_Something happ_y_? _ Lucy thought, bewildered. She watched as Harry pulled his wand out and started yelling, "_Expecto Patronum! Expecto Patronum!_" Lucy and Hermione took their wands out, uncertain at what they were doing.

"Hermione, Lucy, help me!" Harry cried. "_Expecto Patronum!_"

"_Expecto_…" Hermione whispered beside Lucy.

An odd fog was forming in Lucy's head. Her vision was narrowing, and she knew that the dementors were sucking all the happiness from her. Harry continued to bellow the spell, and the last thing Lucy remembered as she collapsed was Harry standing in front of her and Hermione, trying to fend off the army of dementors.

**~LJ:C~**

* * *

_**A/N: And Peter was unaware of Lucy's birth/existence. In case anyone was wondering. The only people who knew about Lucy were Dumbledore, Sirius, Lupin, Marlene McKinnon (more about her in story 7), and Professor McGonagall (eventually).**_


	17. 17: Hermione Saves the Day

_**Disclaimer: Harry Potter is not mine.**_

* * *

**Chapter 17 – Hermione Saves the Day**

Lucy stirred, and when she opened her eyes, she found herself indoors. She was on a bed. Looking around for a few moments, she realized that she must have been in the hospital wing. Turning on her side, she saw Hermione lying in the bed next to hers.

Hermione was waking up, as well. She opened her eyes, looking directly at Lucy. Lucy was about to say something when they heard a voice from outside the hospital wing.

"Shocking business…" the voice said. "Shocking—miracle none of them died—never heard the like—by thunder, it was lucky you were there, Snape.…"

"Thank you, Minister," Snape's voice replied.

"Order of Merlin, Second Class, I'd say," Fudge continued. "First Class, if I can wrangle it!"

"Thank you very much indeed, Minister," Snape said.

"Nasty cut you've got there," Fudge said. "Black's work, I suppose?"

"As a matter of fact, it was Potter, Weasley, Jones, and Granger, Minister…" Snape answered.

"_No_!" Fudge exclaimed.

"Black had bewitched them; I saw it immediately," Snape explained. "A Confundus Charm, to judge by their behavior. They seemed to think there was a possibility he was innocent. They weren't responsible for their actions. On the other hand, their interference might have permitted Black to escape.… They obviously thought they were going to catch Black single-handed. They've got away with a great deal before now.… I'm afraid it's given them a rather high opinion of themselves… and, of course, Potter has always been allowed an extraordinary amount of license by the headmaster.…"

"Ah, well, Snape… Harry Potter, you know—we've all got a bit of a blind spot where he's concerned," Fudge said.

"And yet—is it good for him to be given so much special treatment?" Snape continued. "Personally, I try and treat him like any other student."

_Ha_, Lucy thought to herself.

"Any other student would be suspended—at the very least—for leading his friends into such danger," Snape went on. "Consider, Minister—against all school rules—after all the precautions put in place for his protection—out-of-bounds at night, consorting with a werewolf and a murderer—and I have reason to believe he has been visiting Hogsmeade illegally, too.…"

"Well, well… we shall see, Snape. We shall see," Fudge said. "The boy has been undoubtedly foolish.…" It took all of Lucy's willpower to stay in bed, and Fudge continued, "What amazes _me_ most is the behavior of the dementors.… You've really no idea what made them retreat, Snape?"

"No, Minister.… By the time I'd come 'round, they were heading back to their positions at the entrances.…"

"Extraordinary," Fudge said. "Yet Black and Harry and the girls—"

"All unconscious by the time I reached them," Snape reported. "I bound and gagged Black, naturally; conjured stretchers; and brought them all straight back to the castle."

Lucy heard a rustling coming from the bed on the other side of Hermione, and she assumed that Harry must be there.

Then Madam Pomfrey came bustling down the ward towards them. "Ah, you're awake!" she said as she put down the giant chunk of chocolate she was carrying.

Lucy, Harry, and Hermione all sat up in their beds. "How's Ron?" they asked.

"He'll live," Madam Pomfrey replied. "As for you three… you'll be staying here until I'm satisfied you're—Potter, what do you think you're doing?"

Harry had immediately jumped out of bed, putting his glasses on. "I need to see the headmaster," he replied.

"Potter," Madam Pomfrey said, "it's all right. They've got Black. He's locked away upstairs. The dementors will be performing the kiss any moment now—"

"WHAT?" Harry exclaimed.

"No!" Lucy gasped. She and Hermione got out of their beds, as well.

Fudge and Snape entered the hospital wing when they heard the noise. "Harry, Harry, what's this?" Fudge asked. "You should be in bed—has he had any chocolate?"

"Minister, listen!" Harry said. "Sirius Black's innocent. Peter Pettigrew faked his own death! We saw him tonight! You can't let the dementors do that thing to Sirius! He's—"

"Harry, Harry, you're very confused," Fudge interrupted. "You've been through a dreadful ordeal. Lie back down, now; we've got everything under control—"

"YOU HAVEN'T!" Harry shouted. "YOU'VE GOT THE WRONG MAN!"

Lucy and Hermione hurried to stand next to Harry. "Sirius didn't do it! It was Pettigrew!" Lucy insisted.

"Minister, listen, please," Hermione said. "We saw him, too. It was Ron's rat. He's an Animagus—Pettigrew, I mean—and—"

"You see, Minister?" Snape cut Hermione off. "Confunded, all three of them.… Black's done a very good job on them—"

"WE'RE NOT CONFUNDED!" Harry bellowed.

"Listen to us, please!" Lucy added.

"Minister! Professor!" Madam Pomfrey snapped. "I must insist that you leave. Potter, Jones, and Granger are my patients, and they should not be distressed!" She hustled both girls back to their beds.

"I'm not distressed! I'm trying to tell them what happened!" Harry insisted. "If they'd just _listen_—!"

Madam Pomfrey pushed some chocolate into Harry's mouth and then ushered him back into bed. "Now, _please_, Minister. These children need care," Madam Pomfrey said. "Please leave—"

The door to the hospital wing opened, and Professor Dumbledore entered.

"Professor!" Lucy and Hermione exclaimed.

"Professor Dumbledore," Harry started, "Sirius Black—!"

"For heaven's sake!" Madam Pomfrey cried, throwing her hands up exasperatedly. "Is this a hospital wing or not? Headmaster, I must insist—!"

"My apologies, Poppy, but I need a word with Mr. Potter, Miss Jones, and Miss Granger," Dumbledore said. "I have just been talking to Sirius Black—"

"I suppose he's told you the same fairy tale he's planted in Potter's mind?" Snape scowled, rolling his eyes. "Something about a rat and Pettigrew being alive—"

"That is, indeed, Black's story," Dumbledore answered.

"Does my evidence count for _nothing_?" Snape asked. "Peter Pettigrew was not in the Shrieking Shack, nor did I see any sign of him on the grounds."

"That's because you were knocked out, Professor!" Hermione piped up. "You didn't arrive in time to hear—"

"Miss Granger, HOLD YOUR TONGUE!" Snape spat.

"She's telling the truth!" Lucy shouted. "You were unconscious! Stop telling her to be quiet when she's telling you what actually happened!"

"And you, Miss Jones!" Snape said, his eyes narrowing. "Keep quiet!"

"Now, Snape," Fudge said with concern, "the young ladies are disturbed in their minds. We must make allowances—"

"I would like to speak to Harry, Lucy, and Hermione alone," Dumbledore cut in. "Cornelius, Severus, Poppy—please leave us."

"Headmaster!" Madam Pomfrey exclaimed. "They need treatment! They need rest—!"

"This cannot wait," Dumbledore said. "I must insist."

Madam Pomfrey, looking very offended, turned and walked away to her office.

"The dementors should have arrived by now," Fudge said, checking his watch. "I'll go and meet them. Dumbledore, I'll see you upstairs." He went to the door and opened it but paused, waiting for Snape.

"You surely don't believe a word of Black's story?" Snape hissed, his fists clenched and glaring at Dumbledore.

"I wish to speak to Harry, Lucy, and Hermione alone," Dumbledore simply repeated.

"Sirius Black showed he was capable of murder at the age of _sixteen_," Snape whispered. "You haven't forgotten _that_, Headmaster? You haven't forgotten that he once tried to kill _me_?"

"My memory is as good as it ever was, Severus," Dumbledore replied patiently.

Snape glared at the headmaster for a moment longer before turning and striding from the room. Fudge followed him out, and the door closed behind them.

Dumbledore turned to the three Gryffindors, and they all began to speak at once.

"Professor, Black's telling the truth," Hermione said.

"We _saw_ Pettigrew," Lucy added.

"He escaped when Professor Lupin turned into a werewolf," Harry seethed.

"He's a rat," Lucy explained.

"Pettigrew's front paw—I mean, finger—he cut it off," Hermione said.

"Pettigrew attacked Ron. It wasn't Sirius," Harry said.

Dumbledore held up his hand, and the three students fell silent. "It is your turn to listen, and I beg you will not interrupt me, because there is very little time," he began. "There is not a shred of proof to support Black's story except your word—and the word of three thirteen-year-old wizards will not convince anybody. A street full of eyewitnesses swore they saw Sirius murder Pettigrew. I myself gave evidence to the Ministry that Sirius had been the Potters' Secret-Keeper."

Harry started to say, "Professor Lupin can tell you—"

"Professor Lupin is currently deep in the forest," Dumbledore said, "unable to tell anyone anything. By the time he is human again, it will be too late—Sirius will be worse than dead. I might add that werewolves are so mistrusted by most of our kind that his support will count for very little—and the fact that he and Sirius are old friends—"

Harry interrupted, "But—"

"_Harry_," Lucy hissed.

"_Listen to me, Harry_," Dumbledore said. "It is too late, you understand me? You must see that Professor Snape's version of events is far more convincing than yours."

Lucy nodded, but she was the only one who did.

"He _hates_ Sirius," Harry said. "All because of some stupid trick Sirius played on him—"

"Sirius has not acted like an innocent man," Dumbledore explained. "The attack on the Fat Lady—entering Gryffindor Tower with a knife—without Pettigrew, alive or dead, we have no chance of overturning Sirius's sentence."

"_But you believe us_," Lucy said.

"Yes, I do," Dumbledore answered, "but I have no power to make other men see the truth or to overrule the Minister of Magic.… What we need is more _time_." He looked at Hermione expectantly.

"But—" she started, but something must have clicked in her brain, because her eyes went wide. "OH!"

"Now, pay attention," Dumbledore said. "Sirius is locked in Professor Flitwick's office on the seventh floor. Thirteenth window from the right of the West Tower. If all goes well, you will be able to save more than one innocent life tonight. But remember this, all of you: _you must not be seen_. Miss Granger, you know the law—you know what is at stake.… _You—must—not—be—seen_."

Dumbledore turned and went to the hospital wing door. "I am going to lock you in," he told them. "It is—five minutes to midnight. Miss Granger, three turns should do it. Good luck." With that, he shut the door.

"Good luck?" Harry echoed, looking at Hermione, confused. "Three turns? What's he talking about? What are we supposed to do?"

Hermione wasn't paying attention to him; she had stuffed her hand down the front of her robes and, after a moment, pulled out a very long chain. "Come here," she said to Lucy and Harry. "_Quickly_!" Lucy and Harry moved to stand next to Hermione, who said, "Here." She threw the chain over Lucy's and Harry's necks. There was a small hourglass hanging from it. "Ready?" Hermione asked.

"What are we doing?" Harry demanded.

Hermione didn't answer him. Instead, she turned the hourglass three times.

Then, suddenly, it felt as though they were moving, even though Lucy was sure she was standing still. The hospital wing seemed to vanish. Colors blurred around them, and after a few moments, their surroundings came back into focus.

The three of them were standing in the entrance hall, and the sun was now out, even though it had been nighttime only a moment ago.

Harry tried to ask, "Hermione, what—?"

Hermione stopped him, grabbing Lucy's and Harry's arms and pulling them across the hall and into a broom closet. "In here!" she hissed, pushing them inside ahead of her. Then she closed the door behind them.

"What—how—Hermione, what happened?" Harry asked.

"Wait a minute…" Lucy said, her mind trying hard to process what was going on. "Hermione, is this how you've been getting to all your classes this year?"

Hermione nodded. "We've gone back in time," she explained. She took the chain back from her two friends. "Three hours back—"

Harry said, "But—"

"Shh!" Hermione hushed him, listening at the door. "Listen! Someone's coming! I think—I think it might be us!"

"_Us_?" Lucy repeated, pressing her ear against the cupboard door like Hermione.

"Footsteps across the hall," Hermione said. "Yes, I think it's us going down to Hagrid's!"

"Are you telling me," Harry said, "that we're here in this cupboard _and_ we're out there, too?"

"Yes," Hermione replied. "I'm sure it's us. It doesn't sound like more than four people… and we're walking slowly because we're under the Invisibility Cloak.…" She continued to listen. "We've gone down the front steps.…" Then she sat down, thinking hard about what Dumbledore had told them to do.

"Where did you _get_ that hourglass thing?" Harry asked.

"It's called a Time-Turner," Hermione answered, "and I got it from Professor McGonagall on our first day back. I've been using it all year to get to all my lessons. Professor McGonagall made me swear I wouldn't tell anyone. She had to write all sorts of letters to the Ministry of Magic, so I could have one—had to tell them that I was a model student and that I'd never, ever use it for anything except my studies.… I've been turning it back, so I could do hours over again. That's how I've been doing several lessons at once, see?

"But…" she went on, "_I don't understand what Dumbledore wants us to do_. Why did he tell us to go back three hours? How's that going to help Sirius?"

"There must be something that happened around now he wants us to change," Lucy reasoned. "What happened? We were walking down to Hagrid's three hours ago—"

"This _is_ three hours ago, and we _are_ walking down to Hagrid's," Hermione said. "We just heard ourselves leaving.…"

Lucy looked at Harry, who was trying to process what they had to do.

"Dumbledore just said—just said we could save more than one innocent life…" he muttered. Then he jumped up, looking excited. "We're going to save Buckbeak!" he announced.

"But—how will that help Sirius?" Hermione asked, looking confused.

"Dumbledore said—he just told us where the window is—the window of Flitwick's office!" Harry exclaimed. "Where they've got Sirius locked up!"

Then it dawned on Lucy, too. "We've got to fly Buckbeak up to the window and rescue Sirius!" she said. "Sirius can escape on Buckbeak—they can escape _together_!"

Hermione's mouth had popped open. "If we manage _that_ without being seen," she said slowly, "it'll be a miracle!"

"Well, we've got to try, haven't we?" Harry asked. He stood up and listened at the closet door. "Doesn't sound like anyone's there.… Come on; let's go.…"

Harry led the way across the entrance hall and out of the castle.

Hermione glanced back at the school and gasped, "If anyone's looking out of the window—"

"We'll run for it," Harry said. "Straight into the forest, all right? We'll have to hide behind a tree or something and keep a lookout.…"

"Okay, but we'll go around by the greenhouses," Hermione said. "We need to keep out of sight of Hagrid's front door, or _we'll_ see us! We must be nearly at Hagrid's by now."

The three of them broke into a sprint across the grass towards the greenhouses. They paused behind the buildings and then took off again for the forest.

"Right," Hermione said, breathing hard, when they regrouped. "We need to sneak over to Hagrid's.… Keep out of sight.…"

So, they started walking through the forest, and in a few minutes, they had reached Hagrid's hut. They heard someone knocking on Hagrid's door, watched as Hagrid answered it, and then heard Harry talking to Hagrid.

"This is the weirdest thing we've ever done," Harry commented after Hagrid had closed his door again.

"Let's move along a bit," Hermione suggested. "We need to get nearer to Buckbeak!"

They continued through the trees, moving slowly and keeping a tree between them and the windows of Hagrid's house. They stopped when they could see Buckbeak in Hagrid's pumpkin patch.

"Now?" Harry asked.

"No," Lucy answered. "If we steal him now, those committee people will think Hagrid set him free. We've got to wait 'til they've seen that he's tied up outside."

"That's going to give us about sixty seconds," Harry pointed out.

Lucy shrugged. Then they heard something break inside Hagrid's house.

"That's Hagrid breaking the milk jug," Hermione said. "I'm going to find Scabbers in a moment.…"

Lucy exchanged a look with Harry.

"Hermione," Harry said, "what if we—we just run in there and grab Pettigrew—"

"No!" Hermione cried. "Don't you understand? We're breaking one of the most important Wizarding laws! Nobody's supposed to change time! Nobody! You heard Dumbledore. If we're seen—"

"We'd only be seen by ourselves and Hagrid!" Harry said.

"Harry, what do you think you'd do if you saw yourself bursting into Hagrid's house?" Lucy asked.

"I'd—I'd think I'd gone mad," Harry replied, "or I'd think there was some serious Dark magic going on—"

"_Exactly_!" Hermione exclaimed. "You wouldn't understand. You might even attack yourself! Don't you see? Professor McGonagall told me what awful things have happened when wizards have meddled with time.… Loads of them ended up killing their past or future selves by mistake!"

"Okay!" Harry said, holding his hands up in defeat. "It was just an idea. I just thought—"

Hermione shushed him and pointed to the castle. They could see Dumbledore leading the other Ministry men down the steps and onto the grounds.

"We're about to come out," Hermione said quietly.

A moment later, Hagrid's back door opened, and they saw themselves exit the hut.

"It's okay, Beaky. It's okay," they heard Hagrid say. "Go on. Get goin'."

"Hagrid, we can't—"

"Please let us stay and talk to them—"

"We'll tell them what really happened—"

"They can't kill him—"

Lucy had to admit, it was very weird hearing her voice coming from somewhere other than herself.

"Go! It's bad enough without you lot in trouble an' all!"

Lucy watched as Hermione threw the Invisibility Cloak over the rest of them, and Hagrid waved them away. Then they heard the knock on Hagrid's front door.

"There we go," Lucy murmured to Harry and Hermione, pointing out their footsteps in the grass.

"Where is the beast?" a voice from inside the cabin asked.

"Out—outside," Hagrid replied.

"We—er—have to read you the official notice of execution, Hagrid," Fudge said. "I'll make it quick. Then you and Macnair need to sign it. Macnair, you're supposed to listen, too. That's procedure.…"

"Wait here," Harry whispered to the girls. "I'll do it."

"No, you won't," Lucy said. "I'll do it. Buckbeak knows me."

She hurried out into the garden. Buckbeak watched as she began to untie the knot that was holding him in place. When she had pulled it loose, she walked up to Buckbeak.

"Hey, buddy," she murmured. "Come on. We're going to get you out of here."

Buckbeak let out a low squawk, and Lucy started to lead him out of the pumpkin patch. Buckbeak seemed reluctant to leave Hagrid's garden, and Lucy tried hard to be patient.

"Come on, Buckbeak," she said soothingly. "This way."

"Lucy, hurry!" Hermione whispered from the trees.

Lucy led Buckbeak away from the garden and into the forest. The moment she and Buckbeak were hidden behind some trees, Hagrid's back door opened, and they heard footsteps going down the back stairs.

"Where is it?" the voice of the old Ministry worker asked. "Where is the beast?"

"It was tied here!" the executioner said. "I saw it! Just here!"

"How extraordinary," Dumbledore said.

"Beaky!" Hagrid said, looking around in confusion.

They heard the thud of an axe; the executioner had thrown it down in frustration. Hagrid began to sob, but this time, they were close enough to hear what he was saying.

"Gone!" he wailed happily. "Gone! Bless his little beak, he's _gone_! Musta pulled himself free! Beaky, yeh clever boy!"

Buckbeak heard Hagrid and tried to go back to him.

"Help!" Lucy hissed to Harry and Hermione, and they both grabbed the rope to help hold the hippogriff in place.

"Someone untied him!" the executioner growled. "We should search the grounds—the forest—"

"Macnair, if Buckbeak had indeed been stolen, do you really think the thief will have led him away on foot?" Dumbledore asked. "Search the skies, if you will.… Hagrid, I could do with a cup of tea or a large brandy."

"O'—o' course, Professor," Hagrid said, still crying tears of joy. "Come in, come in.…"

They heard all the footsteps go back into Hagrid's hut, and then there was silence in the garden.

"Now what?" Harry asked.

"We'll have to hide in here," Hermione replied. "We need to wait until they've gone back to the castle. Then we wait until it's safe to fly Buckbeak up to Sirius's window. He won't be there for another couple hours.… Oh, this is going to be difficult.…" She looked anxious.

"We're going to have to move," Lucy said. "We've got to be able to see the Whomping Willow, or we won't know what's going on."

"Okay," Hermione agreed, "but we've got to keep out of sight, remember.…"

The three Gryffindors led Buckbeak through the forest and found a clump of trees to hide behind where they could still see the Whomping Willow.

"There's Ron!" Harry exclaimed, pointing.

They watched as Ron ran after Crookshanks and Scabbers, finally diving on top of Scabbers. Lucy, Harry, and Hermione were chasing after him.

"There's Sirius!" Harry added, noticing the large dog come running out from under the willow tree. "Looks even worse from here, doesn't it?" Harry continued. "Ouch—look, I just got walloped by the tree—and so did you two—this is _weird._…"

Suddenly, the tree froze.

"That was Crookshanks pressing the knot," Hermione whispered.

"There we go," Harry finished. "We're in."

The tree began to move again. Then they heard footsteps nearby, and Hermione sat up in alarm.

"It's Dumbledore, Fudge, and the other two Ministry people," Lucy reported, watching the group of them parade back up to the castle.

"Right after we'd gone down into the passage!" Hermione moaned. "If _only_ Dumbledore had come with us—"

"Macnair and Fudge would've come, too," Harry said. "And I bet you anything Fudge would've told Macnair to murder Sirius on the spot.…"

The group of men entered the castle a few moments later. There was silence for a couple minutes until the front door of the castle opened again.

"Here comes Lupin!" Harry gasped.

Lupin ran over to the tree, found a long, broken branch, and used it to hit the knot at the base of the tree trunk. The tree froze, and Lupin hurried down the hole.

"If only he'd grabbed the cloak," Harry said. "It's just lying there.…" He turned to Hermione. "If I just dashed out now and grabbed it, Snape would never be able to get it, and—"

"Harry, _we mustn't be seen_!" Hermione repeated.

"How can you stand this?" Harry whispered heatedly. "Just standing around and watching it happen?" He stopped to take a breath and said, "I'm going to grab the cloak!"

"Harry, _no_!" Lucy scolded.

Hermione grabbed the back of his robes, which was lucky, because Hagrid had just burst out of his cabin with a bottle of something in his hand. He was singing loudly and happily as he walked up to the castle.

"_See_?" Hermione said. "_See what would have happened?_ We've got to keep out of sight!"

"No, Buckbeak!" Lucy said, pulling on Buckbeak's rope.

He had seen Hagrid and had once again attempted to run to him. Harry and Hermione grabbed the rope, too, holding the hippogriff back.

Hagrid disappeared inside the castle, and a little more than a minute later, Snape came running out of the front doors. He stopped when he neared the tree and then looked down. He found the cloak and held it up.

"Get your filthy hands off it," Harry muttered.

"Shh!" Hermione hissed.

Snape, meanwhile, used the same stick as Lupin to hit the freezing knot, and then he, too, disappeared under the tree.

"So, that's it," Hermione said. "We're all down there… and we've just got to wait until we come back up again.…" She took the end of Buckbeak's rope and tied it to a nearby tree. Then she sat on the ground, pulling her knees up to her chest.

Lucy sat down cross-legged next to her.

"Harry," Hermione started, frowning in thought, "there's something I don't understand.… Why didn't the dementors get Sirius? I remember them coming, and then I think I passed out.… There were so many of them.…"

Harry sat down, as well. "I was trying to produce a Patronus," he explained, "but there were so many dementors flying around that I couldn't concentrate.… The dementors got to us.… There was one right in front of me. It grabbed me and started to pull me towards its face.… Then, all of a sudden, there was a bright light. This large silver thing flew towards the dementors, and they all retreated."

"What was it?" Lucy asked, confused.

"There's only one thing it could have been, to make the dementors go," Harry replied. "A _real_ Patronus. A powerful one."

"But who conjured it?" Hermione questioned. Harry didn't answer right away, and Hermione pressed, "Didn't you see what they looked like? Was it one of the teachers?"

"No," Harry replied distantly. "He wasn't a teacher."

"He must have been a really powerful wizard," Lucy said, "to drive all those dementors away—"

"If the Patronus was shining so brightly, didn't it light him up?" Hermione interjected. "Couldn't you see—?"

"Yeah, I saw him," Harry said. "But—maybe I imagined it—I wasn't thinking straight.… I passed out right afterward.…"

"_Who do you think it was_?" Hermione asked eagerly.

"I think…" Harry said. "I think it was my dad."

Lucy's and Hermione's jaws both dropped.

"Harry, your dad's—well—_dead_," Hermione said softly.

"I know that," Harry said, nodding.

"You think you saw his ghost?" Lucy asked, trying not to sound too hopeful.

"I don't know," Harry answered. "No.… He looked solid.…"

Hermione started, "But then—"

"Maybe I was seeing things," Harry interrupted her, "but… from what I could see… it looked like him.… I've got photos of him.…" After a moment of silence, Harry added, "I know it sounds crazy."

**~LJ:C~**

Following that conversation, the three Gryffindors stayed silent. Hermione kept her eyes on the willow, waiting for the group to come out, while Lucy watched Buckbeak to make sure he didn't try to run away. Harry was also looking at the willow, but Lucy was pretty sure that he was only thinking about his father.

"Here we come!" Hermione announced at last.

They had been sitting in the dirt for over an hour. Hermione got to her feet, and Lucy and Harry did the same. They watched as the group came out from under the tree and started up to the castle.

"Harry, we've got to stay put," Hermione warned. "We mustn't be seen. There's nothing we can do—"

"So we're just going to let Pettigrew escape all over again," Harry muttered darkly.

"How do you expect to find a rat in the dark?" Lucy asked. "There's nothing we can do. We came back to help Sirius; we're not supposed to be doing anything else."

"_All right_!" Harry hissed, looking annoyed.

They turned their attention back to the group walking up to the castle and saw the three people in front stop suddenly.

"There goes Lupin," Hermione said. "He's transforming—"

"Hermione! Lucy!" Harry said. "We've got to move!"

"We mustn't!" Hermione said. "I keep telling you—"

"Not to interfere!" Harry finished for her. "Lupin's going to run into the forest! Right at us!"

Lucy and Hermione exchanged anxious looks, and Lucy hurried to untie Buckbeak's rope.

"Quick!" Hermione said. "Quick! Where are we going to go? Where are we going to hide? The dementors will be coming any moment—"

"Back to Hagrid's!" Harry said. "It's empty now—come on!"

The three students broke into a run with Buckbeak following. They reached Hagrid's house, and Harry pulled the back door open. He held it for Lucy, Hermione, and Buckbeak to run inside. Harry entered last, closing the door behind them. Fang barked in greeting.

"Shh, Fang! It's us!" Hermione said. She scratched his ears to calm him down. "That was really close!"

"Yeah…" Harry said. He looked out the window. "I think I'd better go outside again, you know. I can't see what's going on—we won't know when it's time…" Hermione looked at him suspiciously, and he reassured her quickly, "I'm not going to try and interfere, but if we don't see what's going on, how're we going to know when it's time to rescue Sirius?"

"Well… okay, then," Hermione agreed. "Lucy and I will wait here with Buckbeak… but Harry, be careful—there's a werewolf out there—and the dementors…"

Harry nodded and then exited the hut. There was a moment of silence.

"You know what he's planning on doing, right?" Lucy said.

Hermione sighed and nodded. "I know he believes that it was his father who saved us," she said, "but his dad is dead. I don't know what he expects to see. It was probably a teacher.… Oh, he better not be seen!"

"Come on," Lucy said. "We have to go back out there. We have to make sure Harry doesn't do anything stupid."

So, the girls exited the cabin again, walking slowly and listening hard for any sign of Lupin. They were approaching the far side of the lake when they heard Harry bellow something, and there was a bright light.

"What was that?" Hermione moaned. She broke into a run, and Lucy pulled Buckbeak along after her.

Harry was standing on the bank of the lake, and he whipped around when he heard them approaching.

"_What did you do_?" Hermione hissed. "You said you were only going to keep a lookout!"

"I just saved all our lives…" Harry said. "Get behind here—behind this bush—I'll explain."

Then he told the girls about how he'd originally thought he'd seen his dad cast the Patronus, but he'd actually seen himself do it. He told them that the Patronus he produced had taken the form of a stag, and it had driven all the dementors away.

"Did anyone see you?" Hermione asked when he'd finished.

"Yes, haven't you been listening?" Harry replied impatiently. "_I _saw me, but I thought I was my dad! It's okay!"

"Harry, I can't believe it…" Lucy said, shaking her head and smiling. "You conjured up a Patronus that drove away all those dementors! That's very, _very_ advanced magic—"

"I knew I could do it this time, because I'd already done it," Harry explained. "Does that make sense?"

"I don't know," Hermione said, biting her lip. Then she looked across the lake and gasped, "Look at Snape!"

Lucy and Harry looked around the bush to see Snape levitating their unconscious bodies onto stretchers. Then he turned and led the five stretchers back up to the castle.

"Right. It's nearly time," Hermione said. "We've got about forty-five minutes until Dumbledore locks the door to the hospital wing. We've got to rescue Sirius and get back into the ward before anybody realizes we're missing.…"

They waited for a few minutes in silence.

"D'you reckon he's up there yet?" Harry asked. He was concentrating very hard on the school.

"Look!" Hermione said, pointing to the front steps. "Who's that? Someone's coming back out of the castle!"

"Macnair!" Harry said. "The executioner! He's gone to get the dementors! This is it.…"

"Buckbeak," Lucy called, getting the hippogriff's attention. He came over to them, and Lucy pulled herself up onto his back. "Hermione," Lucy said, holding her hand out.

Harry helped Hermione up onto Buckbeak's back to sit in front of Lucy. Harry got on last, in front of Hermione. He tied the end of Buckbeak's rope to his collar, holding the rope like a set of reins. "Ready?" Harry said. "You two better hold on.…"

Hermione seized Harry around his waist, and Lucy held onto Hermione's robes. Harry softly kicked Buckbeak in the side, and the hippogriff took flight, soaring into the air.

"Oh, no," Hermione moaned. "I don't like this—oh, I _really_ don't like this—"

Harry coaxed Buckbeak to fly over to the castle. After a few minutes of flying by the windows, Harry pulled on the rope. "Whoa!" he said.

Buckbeak stopped, keeping them airborne in place.

Harry looked around, and then pointed to one of the windows. "He's there!" he announced. He reached forward and knocked on the glass.

Sirius looked up, his mouth open in disbelief, and then jumped to his feet. He ran to the window and tried to open it, but it was locked.

"Stand back!" Hermione yelled through the glass. She took her wand out, and Sirius retreated away from the window. "_Alohomora_!" she cried, pointing her wand at the glass.

It unlatched immediately and swung open, and Sirius hurried forward.

"How—how—?" he asked, looking at the three of them sitting on Buckbeak.

"Get on—there's not much time," Harry said. "You've got to get out of here—the dementors are coming—Macnair's gone to get them."

Sirius quickly pulled himself out of the window and threw a leg over the hippogriff behind Lucy.

"Go, Harry!" Lucy called once Sirius was on Buckbeak's back.

"Okay, Buckbeak, up!" Harry said. "Up to the tower—come on!"

Buckbeak began to fly again, rising above the castle. Harry had Buckbeak land on top of the tower, and Lucy, Harry, and Hermione dismounted.

"Sirius, you'd better go, quickly," Harry said. "They'll reach Flitwick's office any moment and find out you're gone."

"What happened to the other boy?" Sirius asked. "Ron?"

"He's going to be okay," Lucy replied. "He's still unconscious, but Madam Pomfrey will fix him up."

"Quick," Hermione said anxiously. "Go—"

"How can I ever thank—?"

"GO!" Lucy, Harry, and Hermione insisted.

Sirius chuckled, taking the rope and pulling Buckbeak around. "We'll see each other again," he said. "You are—truly your father's son, Harry.…"

He kicked Buckbeak gently, and the hippogriff soared into the sky. Lucy, Harry, and Hermione watched as the pair flew away, and soon they were gone.

**~LJ:C~**

* * *

_**A/N: It might be slightly unrealistic that Buckbeak can carry Lucy, Harry, Hermione, AND Sirius all at the same time, but I don't really care. lol**_

_**One more chapter to go!**_


	18. 18: Mission Accomplished

_**A/N: This is the final chapter of this story!**_

_**Disclaimer: Harry Potter is not mine.**_

* * *

**Chapter 18 – Mission Accomplished**

"Harry! Lucy!" Hermione exclaimed as she looked at her watch. "We have to hurry. We've got exactly ten minutes to get back down to the hospital wing without anybody seeing us—before Dumbledore locks the door—"

"Right," Lucy said. She looked at Harry, who was still watching the sky. "Harry?"

"Okay," he said. He forced himself to turn away. "Let's go.…"

They hurried from the tower and down the spiral staircase. When they reached the door to the corridor, they stopped, hearing voices. It sounded like Snape and Fudge again.

"—only hope Dumbledore's not going to make any difficulties," Snape's voice said. "The kiss will be performed immediately?"

"As soon as Macnair returns with the dementors," Fudge replied. "This whole Black affair has been highly embarrassing. I can't tell you how much I'm looking forward to informing the _Daily Prophet_ that we've got him at last.… I daresay they'll want to interview you, Snape… and once young Harry's back in his right mind, I expect he'll want to tell the _Prophet_ exactly how you saved him.…"

Harry stiffened, and Lucy put her hand on his shoulder. "It's okay," she breathed. "Sirius escaped."

Snape and Fudge continued down the corridor, and Lucy, Harry, and Hermione started down the hallway in the opposite direction. They raced down a few sets of stairs and were halfway down a corridor when they heard a noise ahead of them.

"_Peeves_!" Harry hissed, grabbing Lucy's and Hermione's wrists and pulling them into an empty classroom.

A few moments later, they heard Peeves bounce past them, sounding upbeat.

"Oh, he's horrible," Hermione muttered. "I bet he's all excited because he thinks the dementors are going to finish off Sirius.…" She glanced at her watch and gasped, "Three minutes!"

They waited for a few more seconds to make sure that Peeves had passed by before resuming their run down to the hospital wing.

"Hermione—what'll happen—if we don't get back inside—before Dumbledore locks the door?" Harry asked, breathing heavily.

"I don't want to think about it!" Hermione said. "One minute!"

They had finally reached the hallway outside of the hospital wing.

"Okay—I can hear Dumbledore," Hermione said. "Come on!"

She led the way down the corridor, and they stopped outside the hospital door, where Dumbledore was standing, talking to the versions of them who were still inside.

"I am going to lock you in," he was telling them. "It's five minutes to midnight. Miss Granger, three turns should do it. Good luck." He shut the door and pulled his wand out to lock the door.

Lucy, Harry, and Hermione bounded forward.

Dumbledore looked at them and grinned. "Well?" he asked.

"We did it!" Harry replied. "Sirius has gone on Buckbeak—"

"Well done," Dumbledore said. "I think—yes, I think you've gone, too—get inside—I'll lock you in.…"

Lucy, Harry, and Hermione quickly entered the hospital wing to find it empty except for Ron, who was still unconscious in his bed. The three students all climbed quietly back into their beds just before Madam Pomfrey came out of her office.

"Did I hear the headmaster leaving?" she asked. "Am I allowed to look after my patients now?" She shoved chocolate into all three of their hands and glared at them as they quietly started to eat it.

They were each on their fourth piece when they heard an angry yell from what sounded like at least a floor above them.

"What was that?" Madam Pomfrey gasped. She stared at the door as the yelling grew louder. "Really—they'll wake everybody up! What do they think they're doing?"

"He must have Disapparated, Severus," they heard Fudge saying. "We should have left somebody in the room with him. When this gets out—"

"HE DIDN'T DISAPPARATE!" Snape screamed. His voice was very close to the hospital wing doors. "YOU CAN'T APPARATE _OR_ DISAPPARTE INSIDE THIS CASTLE! THIS—HAS—SOMETHING—TO DO—WITH—POTTER!"

Fudge said, "Severus—be reasonable—Harry has been locked up—"

Suddenly, the doors burst open, and Fudge, Snape, and Dumbledore entered the ward.

"OUT WITH IT, POTTER!" Snape shouted. "WHAT DID YOU DO?"

"Professor Snape!" Madam Pomfrey cried. "Control yourself!"

"See here, Snape—be reasonable," Fudge repeated. "This door's been locked. We just saw—"

"THEY HELPED HIM ESCAPE! I KNOW IT!" Snape roared, pointing at Lucy, Harry, and Hermione.

"Calm down, man!" Fudge commanded. "You're talking nonsense!"

"YOU DON'T KNOW POTTER!" Snape bellowed. "HE DID IT! I _KNOW_ HE DID IT—!"

"That will do, Severus," Dumbledore said. "Think about what you are saying. This door has been locked since I left the ward ten minutes ago. Madam Pomfrey, have these students left their beds?"

"Of course not!" Madam Pomfrey snapped. "I would have heard them!"

"Well, there you have it, Severus," Dumbledore continued. "Unless you are suggesting that Harry, Hermione, and Lucy are able to be in two places at once, I'm afraid I don't see any point in troubling them further."

Snape, looking angrily between Fudge and Dumbledore, didn't say another word. A moment later, he turned on his heel and stomped out of the hospital wing.

"Fellow seems quite unbalanced," Fudge said. "I'd watch out for him if I were you, Dumbledore."

"Oh, he's not unbalanced," Dumbledore replied. "He's just suffered a severe disappointment."

"He's not the only one!" Fudge said, shaking his head. "The _Daily Prophet_'s going to have a field day! We had Black cornered, and he slipped through our fingers yet again! All I need now is for the story of that hippogriff's escape to get out, and I'll be a laughingstock! Well… I'd better go and notify the Ministry.…"

"And the dementors?" Dumbledore asked. "They'll be removed from the school, I trust?"

"Oh, yes. They'll have to go," Fudge answered. "Never dreamed they'd attempt to administer the kiss on an innocent boy.… Completely out of control.… No, I'll have them packed off to Azkaban tonight.… Perhaps we should think about dragons at the school entrance.…"

"Hagrid would like that," Dumbledore commented, smiling at Lucy, Harry, and Hermione.

He and Fudge left the ward, and Madam Pomfrey shut and locked the doors behind them again. She demanded that Lucy, Harry, and Hermione eat some more chocolate, and then she went back to her office.

A few moments later, they heard a noise from the other end of the room. They all looked over to see Ron sitting up, looking confused.

"What—what happened?" he asked. "Harry? Why are we in here? Where's Sirius? Where's Lupin? What's going on?"

Lucy, Harry, and Hermione exchanged looks.

"You two can explain," Harry said, reaching out for some more chocolate.

**~LJ:C~**

Madam Pomfrey released them from the hospital wing the next day at lunchtime. They were surprised to find that the castle was nearly empty, but they soon found out that another Hogsmeade trip had been scheduled. Lucy, Hermione, and Ron decided to stay back at the castle with Harry. They were also now free to roam the grounds again—as Fudge had sent the dementors back to Azkaban—so the four Gryffindors decided to go out and enjoy the sunshine.

They took a seat on the grass near the lake and watched the giant squid wave its tentacles out of the water. Then Fang bounded up to them, trying to lick their faces, and Hagrid followed, looking ecstatic.

"Know I shouldn' feel happy, after wha' happened las' nigh'," Hagrid said. "I mean, Black escapin' again an' everythin'—but guess wha'?"

"What?" they all said.

"Beaky! He escaped!" Hagrid announced. "He's free! Bin celebratin' all nigh'!"

"That's wonderful!" Hermione exclaimed, and the other three nodded in agreement.

"Yeah.… Can't've tied him up properly," Hagrid said. "I was worried this mornin', mind—thought he mighta met Professor Lupin on the grounds, but Lupin says he never ate anythin' las' nigh'—"

"What?" Harry said, pretending he didn't understand what Hagrid had said.

"Blimey, haven' yeh heard?" Hagrid asked. He lowered his voice and continued, "Er—Snape told all the Slytherins this mornin'.… Thought everyone'd know by now.… Professor Lupin's a werewolf, see, an' he was loose on the grounds las' nigh'.… He's packin' now, o' course."

"He's _packing_?" Harry asked.

"_Why_?" Lucy demanded to know.

"Leavin', isn' he?" Hagrid replied. "Resigned firs' thing this mornin'. Says he can't risk it happenin' again."

Harry jumped up. "I'm going to see him," he said.

Lucy stood, as well. "I'm coming with you," she said.

Ron and Hermione exchanged a look.

Ron started, "But if he's resigned—"

At the same time, Hermione said, "It doesn't sound like there's anything we can do—"

"I don't care," Harry said. "I still want to see him. We'll meet you back here." He gestured to Lucy, and the two of them hurried back up to the castle.

**~LJ:C~**

They found Lupin's office door open, and they could see him inside packing his things. Harry reached out and knocked on the door.

Lupin turned around to look at them. "I saw you coming," he said, gesturing to the Marauder's Map, which was sitting open on his desk.

"We just saw Hagrid," Harry said, "and he said you'd resigned. It's not true, is it?"

"I'm afraid it is," Lupin replied. He began to pull items out of his desk drawers.

"_Why_?" Lucy asked. "The Ministry of Magic don't think you were helping Sirius, do they?"

Lupin stood and walked to the door. He shut it before answering her. "No," he said. "Professor Dumbledore managed to convince Fudge that I was trying to save your lives. That was the final straw for Severus. I think the loss of the Order of Merlin hit him hard. So, he—er—_accidentally_ let it slip that I am a werewolf, this morning at breakfast."

"You're not leaving just because of that!?" Harry exclaimed.

"This time tomorrow," Lupin said, smiling sadly, "the owls will start arriving from parents… and they will not want a werewolf teaching their children. After last night, I see their point. I could have bitten any of you.… That must never happen again."

"But you _didn't_ bite us," Lucy insisted. "You always take your potion! You said so yourself! Last night was just a… special circumstance."

"You're the best Defense Against the Dark Arts teacher we've ever had!" Harry added. "Don't go!"

Lupin shook his head. Lucy and Harry watched him silently empty a few more drawers before he spoke again. "From what the headmaster told me this morning, you saved a lot of lives last night, Harry," he said. "If I'm proud of anything you've done this year, it's how much you've learned.… Tell me about your Patronus."

"How d'you know about that?" Harry asked.

"What else could have driven the dementors back?" Lupin replied.

Harry repeated the story back to Lupin about his Patronus.

"Yes, your father was always a stag when he transformed," Lupin said when Harry was finished. "You guessed right… that's why we called him Prongs."

Then he picked something up: it was Harry's Invisibility Cloak. He handed it over and added, "Here—I brought this from the Shrieking Shack last night. And—" He paused before picking up the map and giving it up, too. "I am no longer your teacher, so I don't feel guilty about giving this back to you, as well. It's no use to me, and I daresay you, Lucy, Ron, and Hermione will find uses for it."

"You told me Moony, Wormtail, Padfoot, and Prongs would've wanted to lure me out of school," Harry said. "You said they'd have thought it was funny."

"And so we would have," Lupin replied, closing his case. "I have no hesitation in saying that James would have been highly disappointed if his son had never found any of the secret passages out of the castle."

There was a knock on the door, and Harry quickly put the cloak and map inside his robe pockets. Lupin opened the door, and Professor Dumbledore was standing there.

"Your carriage is at the gates, Remus," he reported.

"Thank you, Headmaster," Lupin said. He picked up his things.

"Lucy, would you accompany Professor Lupin down to his carriage?" Dumbledore asked, and Lucy nodded.

Lupin paused and looked at Harry. "Well—good-bye, Harry," he said. "It has been a real pleasure teaching you. I feel sure we'll meet again sometime." He held out his hand to shake Dumbledore's and then beckoned to Lucy to follow him.

**~LJ:C~**

"How are you feeling?" Lupin asked her as they set off for the entrance hall.

"Shouldn't I be asking you that?" Lucy shot back, giggling. "I'm fine. It's just going to be hard to keep the fact that I'm a Potter a secret. I want to know everything about my parents, and I can't even ask."

"I'm sorry that you had to find out that way," Lupin said. "James and Lily were some of my closest friends; some of my only friends." He looked down at Lucy. "You're a lot like them, you know. You have fierce loyalty to your friends—so fierce that you would even risk getting in trouble to yell at a teacher—just like your father. And like your mother, you try to see the good in people. You befriended a Slytherin against your fellow Gryffindors' mistrust for them, and you stuck up for me, a werewolf."

Lucy smiled, flushing. "Sirius knew who I was right away, just like you did," she said. "He talked to me briefly, just before…"

"I transformed," Lupin finished for her. "Yes, I wondered why it took you two an extra minute to get out from under the tree."

"He had offered Harry a place to stay," Lucy said. "He was apologizing that he couldn't offer me one, as well, since nobody can know who I am." She sighed. "This is going to be hard."

"I know," Lupin said, "but you just stay friends with Harry. Try and protect him at all costs. When the time is right, you'll be able to tell him who you are." Lucy smiled and nodded, and Lupin added as an afterthought, "If you ever need anything at all, don't hesitate to write."

They had reached the entrance hall. Lupin opened the castle door, and Lucy followed him out onto the steps. One of the horseless carriages was waiting for him.

"Thank you for everything this year, Professor," Lucy said.

"Thank _you_, Lucy," Lupin replied. He smiled, nodded, and then got into the carriage.

Lucy waved as the carriage pulled away from the steps.

**~LJ:C~**

The end of term came quickly after that. The whole school was abuzz about what had happened the night that Sirius had escaped. Malfoy in particular was upset about Buckbeak getting away, insisting that Hagrid had somehow found a way to help set the hippogriff free.

There were a lot of students who were disappointed that Lupin had resigned, as well.

"Wonder what they'll give us next year?" Seamus said at lunch one day.

"Maybe a vampire," Dean said.

The two boys laughed, and Lucy shook her head at them.

"Poor Lupin," she said to Hermione. "He was so worried about people being afraid of him that he didn't think of the students who would want him to stay."

On the very last day of term, the students received their exam results. Lucy had passed all of her subjects, as had Hermione, Harry, and Ron.

That night was the end of term feast, and Gryffindor managed to win the House Cup for the third year in a row. The Great Hall was decorated in gold and red, and the Gryffindors celebrated late into the night, enjoying their final evening of the year.

**~LJ:C~**

The next morning, the entire school gathered in the Great Hall for breakfast. At the end of the meal, the seventh-years were called one-by-one to stand up. Once they were all standing, the rest of the school applauded for their graduation. Then the seventh-years left the hall to take the boats across the lake, so they could see the castle one last time.

The rest of the students went into the entrance hall to wait for the horseless carriages. Lucy stood with Harry, Ron, and Hermione for a few minutes before she heard someone calling her name.

"Lucy!"

She turned towards the voice, smiling widely when her eyes settled on Jeremy. "Hey," she said, taking a few steps away from her other friends. Her stomach butterflies fluttered to life as Jeremy returned her grin.

"Hi," he replied. "I wanted to make sure that I said good-bye, just in case we don't see each other on the train or at King's Cross."

Lucy nodded. "Are you going to France again this summer?" she asked.

"I think so, but only for a little while," Jeremy answered. "The Quidditch World Cup is taking place in England this year, after all. I won't be missing _that_ if I can help it. Do you think you'll be going?"

"I'm not sure," Lucy said. "I'm staying with the Weasleys this summer, so I'll be _in_ England. I suppose it depends on the Weasleys' plans. It sounds like a lot of fun, though."

"Well, I suppose there's a small chance that I'll see you there," Jeremy said. "I'd better catch up with Daphne and Jake. I'll see you later."

He stepped forward and pulled Lucy into a hug. Lucy's heart beat sped up as she returned the embrace.

"Have a good vacation," she said when she pulled away.

Jeremy grinned again before turning and heading back through the crowd.

Lucy rejoined Hermione, Ron, and Harry. The first-years were now moving out from the castle to take the boats across the lake like the seventh-years had. Then, about a minute later, the rest of the students started slowly exiting the castle through the front doors; the horseless carriages had arrived.

**~LJ:C~**

After the short ride down to the station, the students boarded the Hogwarts Express. Lucy, Harry, Ron, and Hermione got a compartment to themselves. As the train began its journey back to London, Hermione made an announcement.

"I went to see Professor McGonagall this morning before breakfast," she said. "I've decided to drop Muggle Studies."

"But you passed your exam with three hundred and twenty percent!" Ron said in disbelief.

"I know," Hermione said, "but I can't stand another year like this one. That Time-Turner was driving me mad. I've handed it in. Without Muggle Studies and Divination, I'll be able to have a normal schedule again."

"You're sticking me in Muggle Studies to deal with Ernie alone!" Lucy pretended to complain.

Hermione smiled. "Sally-Anne will still be there with you," she pointed out.

"I can't _believe_ you didn't tell us about that Time-Turner," Ron pouted. "We're supposed to be your _friends_."

"Calm down, Ron," Lucy said, shaking her head.

"I promised I wouldn't tell _anyone_," Hermione reminded him. She looked at Harry, who was watching the castle disappear from view, and said, "Oh, cheer up, Harry!"

"I'm okay," Harry reassured his friends. "Just thinking about the holidays."

"Yeah, I've been thinking about them, too," Ron said. "Harry, you've got to come and stay with us. Lucy will be there, too. I'll fix it up with Mum and Dad, and then I'll call you. I know how to use a fellytone now—"

"A _telephone_, Ron," Hermione corrected. "Honestly, _you_ should take Muggle Studies next year—"

"Or maybe you should just let me make any phone calls for you," Lucy suggested.

"It's the Quidditch World Cup this summer!" Ron said, ignoring the girls. "How about it, Harry? Come and stay, and we'll go and see it! Dad can usually get tickets from work."

"Yeah… I bet the Dursleys would be pleased to let me come," Harry said, looking a bit more cheerful. "Especially after what I did to Aunt Marge.…"

There was a moment of silence.

"How about a game of Exploding Snap?" Lucy offered, pulling her deck out of her bag. She examined the cards and muttered, "I need to get a new deck soon. This one's getting a bit worn…"

Ron, Harry, and Hermione agreed, and they played cards until the food trolley arrived.

**~LJ:C~**

A couple hours after they'd eaten, Hermione looked out the window and gasped. "Harry," she said. "What's that thing outside your window?"

Harry stood up and peered through the glass. Then he opened the window, put his arm out, and grabbed the small thing that was floating outside. "It's an owl," he said after he shut the window again and let go of the tiny bird.

It dropped a letter onto the seat and began flying around the ceiling of their compartment. Crookshanks looked up in interest, and Ron quickly grabbed the owl.

"It's from Sirius!" Harry said excitedly, ripping the letter open.

"What?" Lucy, Ron, and Hermione all exclaimed together.

"Read it aloud!" Ron added.

_Dear Harry,_

_I hope this finds you before you reach your aunt and uncle. I don't know whether they're used to owl post._

_Buckbeak and I are in hiding. I won't tell you where, in case this owl falls into the wrong hands. I have some doubt about his reliability, but he is the best I could find, and he did seem eager for the job._

_I believe the dementors are still searching for me, but they haven't a hope of finding me here. I am planning to allow some Muggles to glimpse me soon, a long way from Hogwarts, so that the security on the castle will be lifted._

_There is something I never got around to telling you during our brief meeting. It was I who sent you the Firebolt_—

"Ha!" Hermione interrupted. "See! I _told_ you it was from him!"

"Yes, but he hadn't jinxed it, had he?" Ron said. "Ouch!" The little owl had bitten Ron's finger, hooting excitedly.

_Crookshanks took the order to the Owl Office for me. I used your name but told them to take the gold from my own Gringotts vault. Please consider it as thirteen birthdays' worth of presents from your godfather._

_I would also like to apologize for the fright I think I gave you that night last year when you left your uncle's house. I had only hoped to get a glimpse of you before starting my journey north, but I think the sight of me alarmed you._

_I am enclosing something else for you, which I think will make your next year at Hogwarts more enjoyable._

_If ever you need me, send word. Your owl will find me._

_I'll write again soon._

_Sirius_

Harry looked into the envelope that the letter had been sent in, and he pulled another slip of paper from it.

_I, Sirius Black, Harry Potter's godfather, herby give him permission to visit Hogsmeade on the weekends_.

"That'll be good enough for Dumbledore!" Harry said. He glanced back at the letter and then said, "Hang on, there's a P.S."

_I thought your friend Ron might like to keep this owl, as it's my fault he no longer has a rat._

"Keep him?" Ron repeated. He examined the owl for a moment before holding it out for Crookshanks to sniff. "What d'you reckon?" Ron asked the cat. "Definitely an owl?" Crookshanks let out a loud purr, and Ron said, "That's good enough for me! He's mine."

**~LJ:C~**

The rest of the ride back to King's Cross was uneventful. When the train pulled into the station, Lucy, Harry, Ron, and Hermione all hopped down and collected their trunks. They joined the group of students heading back into the Muggle world, and once on the other side of the barrier, they met up with Mr. and Mrs. Weasley. Mrs. Weasley gave them all hugs.

"I'd better go," Harry said. "Uncle Vernon doesn't like to be kept waiting."

Lucy's eyes widened as she realized that Harry's aunt and uncle were also _her_ aunt and uncle. After everything that Harry had told her about them, she was not upset that they didn't know she was their niece.

"I'll call about the World Cup!" Ron promised as he, Lucy, and Hermione said good-bye to Harry.

Harry smiled, turned, and wheeled his trolley towards his uncle.

"I've just spotted my parents, as well," Hermione said. "I should probably meet up with them. I'll see you in a couple months!"

"Nonsense, you're coming to the World Cup, too, if Dad can manage it," Ron scoffed, and Lucy and Hermione looked at him in surprise.

Then Lucy hugged Hermione good-bye, and Hermione headed off to meet up with her parents.

"That was actually really nice of you to invite her along, Ron," Lucy commented as they stood with Mr. and Mrs. Weasley and waited for the rest of the Weasley children to show up.

Ron's ears went red. "It's been known to happen," he muttered.

Lucy chuckled.

Soon, Ginny, Fred, George, and Percy had all caught up with them, and Mr. and Mrs. Weasley led the group out of the train station. Lucy grinned, hoping that this summer would be her best one yet.

**~LJ:C~**

* * *

_**A/N: I love Lucy's relationship with Lupin. She really does start to see him as an uncle, like he always hoped she would. Their relationship will continue to grow in the future stories.**_

_**To nobody's surprise, Lucy is planning on staying with the Weasleys for the entire summer. I don't think I actually explicitly said that anywhere until this chapter, although she did talk about it with various Weasleys at the beginning of the story.**_

_**We have reached the end of another story! I feel like this one took a long time to post, even though it only had two more chapters than the last one, and I changed the posting schedule. Maybe it's because I'm excited for the next stories to come out.**_

_**I hope everyone enjoyed this story! Story number four will be called Dangerous, and the first chapter will be posted on April 15th (this coming Monday). See you there!**_


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